Monday December 2, 2024
Jefferson Public Radio —
Under a lead-gray sky on a cold, rainy November morning, James Whelan follows a small procession of trucks on a bumpy, rutted-out road along the Klamath River in northern California. Driving a stick shift while wearing a wetsuit is tricky, but nothing compared to the tangle-net survey he’s about to lead.
“This is definitely the most unique type of netting I’ve done,” says Whelan, project manager for California Trout. “Alright, just go jump in the river and hold onto the other end. By the way it’s pretty sketchy…yep, I figured that out pretty quick!”
Whelan and a small crew are sampling at four different locations along the Klamath River at and upstream of the old Iron Gate dam site as part of the Klamath River Monitoring Program. They hope to catch and tag any large fish that are in the river right now—Chinook salmon, steelhead, and possibly, coho.
The tangle-net surveys are part of the comprehensive monitoring that’s happening since four dams were completely removed from the Klamath River earlier this year. Agencies, tribes, conservation organizations, and researchers are eager to follow fish as they explore the reconnected habitat above the dams.