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Working with a number of groups to develop a tool that pinpoints specific limitations to salmon survival in the Shasta River
Conservation Science Initiative
SHASTA RIVER SALMON MODEL
The Klamath River Basin of southern Oregon and northern California historically was home to one of the largest populations of salmon and steelhead in the lower 48 states. Decades of development have contributed to the decline of these salmon runs. Today, annual salmon runs amount to just 10% of the historic abundance that used to return to this river basin.
Although a series of hydroelectric dams currently block salmon from hundreds of miles of the Klamath River system, these migratory fish still are able to reach and spawn in a number of tributaries - tributaries that produced large numbers of fish as few as a hundred years ago. The Shasta River, one of these currently accessible tributaries, is the focus of this project.
Chinook salmon, steelhead, and the federally and California protected threatened coho salmon continue to use this river despite chronically low flows, extremely warm summer temperatures, numerous instream barriers to movement, and limited streamside vegetation.
Over the past several years, the National Center has been working with a number of groups to develop a tool that pinpoints specific limitations to salmon survival in the Shasta River’s natural environment.
The results of our modeling will guide salmon restoration efforts, addressing the most important limitations in specific locations within the watershed. The predicted responses of the salmon from these changes will form the basis for the National Center’s restoration strategy, giving us a strong platform to advocate for the most beneficial on-the-ground and policy treatments to reestablish abundant salmon runs in the Shasta River.
Building strong salmon populations in tributary watersheds is a key component of the National Center’s larger mission to recover salmon populations throughout the Klamath River Basin.
Photo by Brian Barr.
