|
|
|
|
|
Although the lower Yuba still supports some of California's last remaining runs of wild Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, these endangered fish once had access to many more miles of prime spawning habitat in the upper watershed. Their migration is now blocked by Englebright Dam on the Yuba's main stem. To fulfill its vision of a restored Yuba River, SYRCL has assumed a leading role in the Upper Yuba River Studies Program. The program's mission is to determine the feasibility of reintroducing salmon and steelhead to the upper Yuba River.
The UYRSP was formed in 1999 by SYRCL and a diverse array of groups and agencies reflecting local, statewide and national perspectives from government agencies to business and property owners to other environmental organizations. In December 2000, the CalFed Bay-Delta Policy Group approved $6.7 million to fund the UYRSP's efforts. With this funding, the UYRSP will design, monitor, and evaluate studies on a wide range of issues including flood control, water supply and hydropower, habitat potential, sediment control, water quality, and economics. Begun in early 2001, these studies are expected to take 18 months to complete.
Providing fish passage to the waters above Englebright Dam is a complex task, one that must consider a wide range of environmental, social, technical and economic factors. The UYRSP is a collaborative, stakeholder-driven process guided by three teams. SYRCL heads the River Team representing environmental organizations, recreational and commercial fishing groups, and local conservationists.
|
|
|
|
