Wednesday January 8, 2025
Carmichael Times —
Within weeks following completion of a $1.7-million Water Forum project in October, giant Chinook were spawning in new gravel beds. The 2024 effort to aid the endangered species centered on River Bend Park (Rancho Cordova) and William B. Pond Park (Carmichael).
The work augmented salmon breeding habitat with thousands of tons of clean gravel. A deepened and reconnected side channel also created rearing havens for baby salmonids.
Following similar projects over 16 years, the latest restoration impacted eight American River acres.
At the peak of the recent salmon run, biologists counted almost 40 new redds (nests) in previously unhospitable areas. Female salmon were using muscular tails to dig cradles when this reporter joined survey biologists. Following the Chinook migration, steelhead and Pacific lamprey will reproduce in the same spots.
“Monitoring is important,” explained Kirsten Sellheim, senior scientist for Cramer Fish Sciences. “We bring what we learn into future projects. In spring, we’ll learn how juvenile fish are using new side channels.”