Monday January 26, 2026
Active NorCal —
Led by the California Department of Water Resources, the pilot project focused on reconnecting young salmon to the cold, high-elevation habitat they once relied on in the McCloud River. That habitat was cut off decades ago with the construction of Shasta Dam, forcing the species to adapt to warmer, less suitable waters.
The solution tested here was both technical and carefully engineered. DWR designed and built the Juvenile Salmon Collection System, or JSCS, to intercept young salmon before they entered the reservoir. Once collected, the fish were transported downstream, allowing them to continue their journey to the ocean while avoiding the dams entirely.