State of California and federal agencies have jointly released plans Tuesday to restore some threatened and endangered Central Valley fish populations to their historic levels. Capital Public Radio’s Max Pringle reports.
State and federal officials estimate the plans will take several decades to fully achieve the goal of restoring the Chinook salmon and steelhead populations. Maria Rea with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the NOAA plan includes close tracking of water temperatures at Northern California reservoirs.
“We are, on a daily and weekly basis, carefully monitoring that cold water pool and releases from Shasta to protect spawning winter-run Chinook salmon,” says Rea.
The plans also include efforts to restore spring-run Chinook and steelhead to healthy levels.
California is spending $38 million dollars this year on projects like updating the operations at state salmon hatcheries, and improving flows in Central Valley waterways.
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