Go Salmon!
Posted on 09/27/2021 1:52:49 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The removal of a century-old dam in Santa Cruz County will now benefit endangered fish by supplying a habitat for them to spawn.
The demolition of the Mill Creek Dam opens a door that's been closed for more than 100 years to endangered fish, like Coho Salmon to spawn upstream.
Heavy equipment was brought in this week to remove the Mill Creek Dam.
"The dam would have been spanning the creek right down over there. So, we were able to pull the sediment from behind the dam bring it up and shift it around so the creek could flow unimpeded," said Sempervirens Fund Land Steward Manager Ian Rowbotham.
The key to this project was releasing old sediment trapped behind the dam.
It's described as durable limestone cobble that Coho Salmon rely on.
"It's critical because it's an aspect that's been lacking downstream of the dam here. Salmon rely on gravel and sand to be able to lay their eggs on to be able to grow p into the next generation of fish," said Rowbotham.
The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project have released 25,000 Coho Salmon hatchlings annually.
Anything that will help in their survival is a welcome addition.
"That's a big deal for us, any kind of impediment the fish passage in the Santa Cruz Mountains is something we try to address and removing those barriers to fish movement is helpful," said Monterey Bay Salmon & Trout Project, Executive Director Ben Harris.
The Santa Cruz Water Department also brought good news this week.
Juvenile Coho Salmon have been surviving in freshwater creeks along the North Coast for two years in a row now.
"We are seeing more Coho in our monitoring efforts and we are working regionally so, it's important that other watersheds are functioning. Mill Creek is adjacent to Laguna Creek. Those watersheds may have fish moving back and forth between them," said Watershed Compliance Manager Chris Berry.
Mill Creek is but a trickle right now, but over time it'll grow and environmentalists hope so will the numbers of endangered Coho and Steelhead.
Insanity.
Go Salmon!
I guess CA isn’t worried about water anymore? They can just get rid of reservoirs? Yet they’re going to come at CO and bitch about us not letting enough Colorado River water go? I can’t trap downspout water for my yard? eff you CA.
I say DAM the salmon!!
Apparently, they aren’t worried about water anymore, but not because of this tiny reservoir. They’ve been releasing water out of much bigger supplies. I doubt this one is big enough to worry about.
And just look at the Oroville Dam. Two years ago its reservoir was so full the dam was in danger of bursting. Now it’s nearly empty. Screw CA.
What was the purpose of the dam? Irrigation? Hydroelectric power? Flood control? Something else? Unless they built the dam for a lark, removing it will presumably remove the benefit of whatever it was created for.
Them salmon are lining up out in the ocean to swim up this dry creek.
Like the Hudson River dam at Utica didn’t teach anyone a lesson?
Tens of thousands of hatchlings produced annually, but it is “endangered.” Right. Only in California.
“Dam Demolition in Santa Cruz Mountains Benefits Endangered Salmon”
“Darn Demolition” would’ve been a more polite way to say that.
I am pretty sure that fish cannot swim upriver in this “rain gutter” they call a creek. If they can and do spawn, they will be stranded be 100% decimated by animals, die gasping for air, or heat exhaustion. Salmon need water deep enough to stay cold. These people in DFW are frickin’ MORONS.
Screw the salmon!
Send in the grizzlies...
Fix mine without the capers, please.
I read it.
I assume the no well clause wouldn’t apply to many at all. 110 gallons max and ONLY used on lawn or garden. Can’t even set out a bowl of it for the dog.
Some change.
And my bigger question is how do they enforce it? Do they have the right to come onto your property and measure how much water is in your barrels?
What does California need water for anyway?
California. Let it burn.
Because CA has plenty of water and they don’t need this reservoir.
That is the big question. If you only have two barrels it is unlikely that they will ever come and ask you anything. As for the usage restrictions ... "Prove that I use it for anything other than my lawn/garden!"
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