In an unassuming classroom at an Orange County school, one of Southern California’s most endangered native fish species has found an unlikely but critical lifeline. Edison High School located in Huntington Beach is now home to a newly established emergency holding facility designed to temporarily shelter endangered Southern California steelhead trout when wild habitats are damaged by fire, flood, drought, or other natural disasters.
The facility, housed within Edison High’s Innovation Lab, is equipped with two 500-gallon tanks capable of supporting up to 650 rescued steelhead trout. The tanks will serve as a temporary refuge, allowing the fish to survive until conditions in their native watersheds recover or suitable alternative habitats are identified.
The project is the result of collaboration among educators, students, conservation scientists, and state wildlife officials, including the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Together, the partners identified a growing need for a reliable, controlled location where rescued steelhead could be safely held during increasingly frequent environmental emergencies…