TU-California folks,

As you know, TU’s cold water conservation efforts are epitomized by our work at the “micro” level to protect and restore habitat and trout and salmon populations. This work often is achieved through projects developed or facilitated by our chapters. TU also works at the “macro” level, primarily through our Science and Water program staff, to drive changes in policy and resource management practices that benefit fish – especially our native salmon and steelhead

On this front, I have some good news to share. Recent developments in the policy realm offer reason for optimism in the arduous effort to bring back our salmon and steelhead in the face of drought, a warming climate, and an over-committed system of water allocation.

First, TU and Wild Steelheaders United joined forces to encourage the California Fish and Game Commission to designate much of the south fork of the fabled Smith River as a State Wild and Heritage Trout Water. Thanks to our efforts, 220 anglers submitted comments in support of this action, which the Commission adopted on October 20. The new designation means a higher level of protection and monitoring for this stream, which provides vital habitat and summer angling in the Smith River system. As any seasoned angler knows, the Smith River is perhaps the best steelhead water in California and is renowned for its angling opportunities for wild steelhead, salmon, and coastal cutthroat trout.

Secondly, the State Water Resources Control Board has, over the past month, taken two actions which could profoundly affect the severely diminished salmon and steelhead runs in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. In short, the water board has released science-based proposals to update the water quality and flow standards for these rivers – these proposals recommend that substantially more “unimpaired flow” be left in these rivers at key times to improve fish passage, spawning and rearing. TU helped to shape these recommendations and is now working to ensure that the target boost in streamflows contemplated is fully implemented when the new regulations are adopted. We will be sure to alert you as opportunities arise in this process to advocate for these long-overdue improvements in managing our limited water supplies for both fish and people.

In the meantime, you can read this new blog post, which discusses this issue in more detail and includes links to TU’s previous comments on the water board’s proposal for the San Joaquin River as well as poetic remarks from Rene Henery, our California Science Director, in a recent article from the Associated Press. Here’s the link: http://www.tu.org/blog-posts/the-vascular-system-of-our-landscape.

Thanks for all you are doing, at every level, to help restore and sustain California’s cold water fisheries.

Tight lines, Sam

As many of you know, TU has been working for years to improve flows and habitat conditions in Central Valley rivers for salmon and steelhead, through processes such as the Bay-Delta Plan. Now, for the first time in 20 years, the State Water Resources Control Board has proposed to raise flow standards in the lower San Joaquin River watershed to help fish and water quality in the Delta.

CA Water Policy Director Chandra Ferrari has played a major role in advocating for improved flow standards in state and federal planning and dam relicensing processes, and the water board’s proposal reflects TU’s science-based position that providing more cold water at key times is the single most important thing we can do to recover our dwindling Central Valley salmon and steelhead runs.

In a just-posted blog, Chandra says the water board’s proposed target flow standards for the Merced, Tuolumne, and Stanislaus Rivers are encouraging, but should be higher if we are serious about recovering cold water fish populations. Anglers are strongly encouraged to comment on the water board's proposal – please read and share this post with your chapter members and fishing partners, and on social media! (Deadline for written comments is noon on January 17, 2017).

Information on how to comment is found in Chandra’s blog post. Click this link: http://www.tu.org/blog-posts/new-flow-standards-key-to-recovering-central-valley-salmon-and-steelhead.

Thanks for all you are doing to conserve, protect and restore California’s trout and salmon. Wishing all of you a joyous and healthy holiday season, and many fishy days in 2017.

Tight lines,

Sam

How to Count A TU Volunteer Hour
Trout Unlimited’s strategic plan outlines four major areas of our mission: Protect, Reconnect, Restore and Sustain. Your chapter or council’s activities and volunteer hours will fall within these four categories. The following glossary helps define each of these categories and sub-categories and also provides examples of the types of volunteer hours which should be counted in each category.

In this episode of Trout Tips Kirk Deeter discusses the Hammer technique.

In this episode of Trout Tips Kirk Deeter discusses reading water.

In this episode of Trout Tips Kirk Deeter discusses tailing loops in your fly cast.

In this episode of Trout Tips Kirk Deeter discusses mending your fly line.

A short video about the Truckee River Watershed

A short video on the Trout Unlimited Angler Science program

Five hundred miles. That’s a pretty significant distance, right? Now, imagine swimming that far.

That’s how many river miles will re-opened to native steelhead in the Klamath River under the terms of a revised agreement between the federal government, the states of California and Oregon, and the utility company PacifiCorp.

The amended Klamath Hydropower Settlement Agreement, and the Klamath Power and Facilities Agreement were signed today at the mouth of the Klamath River by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan, Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr., of California, Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon and PacifiCorp CEO Stefan Bird.

Under the new-and-improved KHSA, four old, unproductive hydropower dams on the Klamath River will be removed beginning in the year 2020. This action will open up 500 miles of habitat for steelhead and some 420 miles for salmon.

Read more on the TU Blog