Wednesday February 1, 2023
CalTrout —
Projects in CalTrout’s Mt. Lassen region concentrate on east-side tributaries of the Sacramento River which drain from the Cascade mountains in Butte, Tehama, and Shasta counties. These projects strive to halt the current decline in native fish populations, recover endangered populations specifically adapted to the region’s geography, and support general ecosystem function within the Mt. Lassen region. Specifically, we will work to restore connectivity for migratory fishes, provide access to colder and less degraded habitats, and create natural segregation between fish runs. CalTrout recently received a funding recommendation for a fish passage project on Ótakim Séwi (Big Chico Creek) in Iron Canyon, which will serve as the flagship project for the new Mt. Lassen region.
“As a 20-year resident of Chico, when I heard CalTrout was expanding into this region and was taking on a fish passage project in Iron Canyon, I knew I had to be part of it,” said Holly Swan, new Project Manager for CalTrout’s Mt. Lassen region. “I am proud of CalTrout’s expansion into Chico and the Mt. Lassen region, and I am excited to help bring the importance of healthy watersheds and fish populations to the forefront of my community.”
The Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project received a funding recommendation from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in December 2022. Project partners include CSU Chico’s Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve, the Mechoopda Tribe, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the city of Chico, and more. The project will remove a fish passage barrier in Iron Canyon, restoring access to more than eight miles of critical spawning and rearing habitat for steelhead and spring-run Chinook salmon in the upper reaches of the creek. This includes cold water habitat critical to build climate resilience for fish populations.