Tuesday April 30, 2024
Sierra Sun Times —
Balancing the water supply needs of millions of Californians while protecting the environment is no easy task. The Department of Water Resources is committed to using and advancing the best available science to operate the State Water Project to get water to the people who need it while protecting native fish species.
Juvenile salmonids are collected from the screw traps placed on the Feather River. Photo taken March 8, 2024.
One important way DWR is doing just that is through the advanced use of genetics to identify different runs of Chinook salmon to monitor and protect the runs that are listed as threatened or endangered. Knowing which runs are present and where they are being found in the water system ultimately helps rebuild salmon populations in California. DWR has released a video showing the genetic identification process in action.