Wednesday November 20, 2024
Ledger Dispatch —
The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) reports the 2024-2025 fall run of Chinook salmon currently underway on the Mokelumne River has set a new record for the second year in a row. More than 30,000 fish have been counted to date with hundreds more arriving daily from the Pacific Ocean to spawn. This is the largest salmon return on the Mokelumne since record keeping began in 1940, surpassing the record-setting 2023-24 total count of 28,698 Chinook with several weeks still left to go in this spawning season.
“I’m proud of EBMUD’s decades-long dedication to sustaining the health of the Mokelumne River habitat and investing in fish hatchery operations,” said EBMUD Board President Lesa McIntosh. “This historic salmon run is a testament to our science-driven management, cooperative relationships with neighbors on the river, and our collaboration with local, state and federal partners to enhance spawning grounds, operate our hatchery effectively, and protect vital natural resources.”
The Mokelumne River is the primary drinking water source for over 1.4 million EBMUD customers in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The not-for-profit public agency is dedicated to balancing customers’ water needs with environmental protection and river stewardship.