Thursday October 1, 2026
Action News Now —
For the first time in about 70 years, salmon and steelhead can now reach the upper section of Big Chico Creek.
CalTrout and partners have completed work on the Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project in Upper Bidwell Park in Chico.
Crews from CalTrout had been working on the project all summer.
Locals who may have seen a tall red crane over the summer, that was CalTrout and their partners removing a failing fish ladder from the 1950’s.
They redesigned and incorporated a new approach to clear 8 and a half miles of habitat for Chinook salmon, steelhead and other native fish.
CalTrout decided to design a stream simulation that, unlike the fish ladder from 1956 with its straight edges and deep drops, could allow all native fish, not just the good jumpers, to make their way through. The design mimics a natural creek.
“They each have a little niche in the ecosystem so it’s important not just to focus on a single species, but on a greater holistic approach of looking at all native fish in the watershed,” said Holly Swan, Shasta-Cascade regional manager.
CalTrout and their partners used a crane to lift boulders and rearrange them instead of using concrete and rebar, which is what used to be there.