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Near-record numbers of Chinook salmon returned successfully
to the Shasta River last fall despite daunting, drought-related environmental
conditions and a large number of migrating fish that increased the threat of
disease.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) counted more than 29,000 adult Chinook salmon at video camera monitoring sites and fish weirs, making the return the largest on the Shasta River since 1962.
“Irrigation districts and
individual landowners stepped up and contributed water to reduce disease risks
to returning salmon,” said Neil Manji, CDFW Regional Manager. “The increased
flow helped cool the river water and avert disease and a potential salmon
kill."
Drought conditions combined with large numbers of salmon, low
stream flow and high temperatures posed a potential disease threat in the lower
reaches of the Shasta River in September.
In 2002, similar environmental conditions caused more than
30,000 salmon and steelhead to die downstream in the lower Klamath River due the
outbreak of two diseases, columnaris and Ichthyophthirius
multifiliis or “Ich.”
With flows low in early September, large
numbers of salmon began returning to the Shasta River. Irrigation season was
slated to continue until Oct. 1, which could have caused further reductions in
river flows.
Over a half dozen key landowners and irrigators with water
rights recognized the threat and decided to reduce diversions from the Shasta
River to increase flow in the river. At one juncture their contributions
increased the river flow to 44 cubic feet per second more than doubling the
flow. This helped move salmon through the system and reduce the vulnerability to
disease outbreaks that are a threat when fish are highly concentrated. Increased
flow also helped disrupt the life cycles of lethal disease
pathogens.
CDFW environmental scientists closely monitored the health of
returning salmon and reported no significant disease outbreaks.
The
impressive return of Chinook salmon last fall year is attributed to good
conditions in the ocean, where salmon live and feed for up to three years, and
excellent juvenile reproduction and out-migration success to the ocean.
Environmental improvement projects throughout the watershed, including water diversion screening and riverbed enhancements, may also have contributed to this year’s return.
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Posted by: click here | 04/11/2013 at 12:44 AM