Promising Steelhead Run Follows Behind American River Salmon

Promising Steelhead Run Follows Behind American River Salmon

by Dan Bacher

Early, cold rains this fall have transformed the American River from a potential disaster
area for king salmon into a river full of spawning fish. Early returns of steelhead also
look very promising, as anglers get ready for the traditional steelhead opener in the upper
river on January 1.

In August and September, fishery biologists and river activists feared that low, warm
conditions in Folsom Lake, the result of a dry spring and water exports to Southern
California and San Joaquin Valley agribusiness by the Bureau of Reclamation, would result in
a big fish kill.

During the past three falls, 181,709 salmon perished before spawning, according to data from
carcass surveys compiled by Mike Healey, DFG fishery biologist, the pre-spawning mortality
rate was 67 percent in 2001, a water year similar to 2004.

For this year at least, the American River has “dodged the bullet,” due to the intervention
of Mother Nature. “The salmon run was real slow in the beginning,” said Healey. “Then after
the storms moved through the area and the water cooled down, the fish showed up. It is
taking all day for our carcass survey crew just to get down a mile of river.”

Local activists, including Felix Smith of the Save the American River Association, and DFG
fishery biologists also deserve credit for putting pressure on the Bureau of Reclamation
raise flows back to 1500 and then to 1750 cfs after the Bureau temporarily cut flows to 1000
cfs in late September. These flows are helping to maintain good spawning conditions for the
salmon.

Although the data won’t be compiled until the carcass surveys are finished, Healey observed
that there is “much less pre-spawn mortality” than there was last year. Thirty-seven percent
of the run of 2003 - 58,651 fish out of 158,516 salmon - died before spawning.

He also noted that there are a lot of 2 year old salmon ? jacks or grilse. Jack returns are
an indicator that fishery managers use to forecast the health of next year’s salmon runs.

The king salmon returns at Nimbus Fish Hatchery are also very good. Terry West of Nimbus
Fish Hatchery received a total of 10,928 fish, including 6,396 males and 4,532 females, to
date. That compares to 9,231 adults in 2003.
The returns of grilse (jacks) to the hatchery ? 13,066 fish ? are amazing. This compares to
2,705 fish by the same date last year.

Steelhead returns are also looking very good. The hatchery had received 124 adults and 7
half pounders to date this year, compared to 58 adults and 0 half pounders last year.

Meanwhile, steelhead fishing pressure is light on the open stretch of river from the power
lines at the southwest boundary of Ancil Hoffman Park to Discovery Park. Although fishing
has been spotty to date, Dave Mierkey, fishing guide, reported a great day of steelhead
fishing on Saturday, December 11. His two clients caught and released 6 steelhead ranging
from 2 to 6 pounds while fishing roe from the power lines to Watt Avenue.

Rodney Fagundes, fishing guide, was absolutely stoked about the prospects for the opening
day on January 1. “I walked down to the river below the hatchery and it got me excited ?
there’s a ton of steelhead in the river,” said Fagundes.

Not only did the American River “dodge the bullet” on a potential fish kill on the American
River, but the river parkway stayed open in spite of the threat of severe budget cuts by
Sacramento County. Members of the Save the American River Association (SARA), American River
Parkway Foundation, American River Natural Heritage Association, United Anglers and other
groups spent many hours in Sacramento County Board of Supervisors meetings in a successful
lobbying effort to keep the parkway open this season.

In another victory for river activists, the Water Forum recently signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service regarding a schedule and plan for adopting and implementing a new and much needed
lower American River Flow Management Standard.

“It has taken nearly five years of negotiations, studies, modeling, lobbying and tons of
bucks to get where there is at least some light at the end of the tunnel,” wrote Felix Smith
and Jack Sohl, in “River Watch” Fall-Winter 2004, the SARA newsletter. “However, we’re not
home free yet. We will know within a few months into 2005 whether or not the Bureau (and
USFWS) will live up to the purposes and intent of the MOU.”

Also looming behind the fishery restoration efforts on the American River is the “big
picture” of the Bush administration’s plans to reduce habitat and flows for salmon and other
fish. The Bureau of Reclamation and State of California are pushing through the renewal of
long term water contracts and increased diversions of Central Valley water that threaten the
fisheries of the American River and other Central Valley streams.

And on November 30 ? what restoration activists are calling “Extinction Tuesday” ? NOAA
Fisheries released a proposal that slashes “critical habitat” set aside for endangered and
threatened salmon in California and the Pacific Northwest.

Another big task in the coming years is to keep the parkway ? the “crown jewel” of the
Sacramento region ? open with permanent, dedicated funding. SARA board member Warren Truitt.
at a special day honoring Illa Collin of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors for her
work in preserving the parkway, announced an American River Parkway Summit set for February
26, 2005. The event will run from, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at either the Sacramento County BOS
Chambers or the Effie Yaw Nature Center.

“Everybody who cares about the future of the parkway, including fishermen, hikers, rafters,
runners, kayakers, rafters, bird watchers and others, is encouraged to attend this summit,”
said Truitt.

For more information about this summit and other activities, contact the Save the American
River Association, (916) 383-1298, email: riverwatch at comcast.net, http://www.sarariverwatch.org.
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photos: j. isreal
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article also can be found at:
http://www.fishsniffer.com/dbachere/041217american.html