More than 6.2 million juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon were released from the Coleman National Fish Hatchery into Battle Creek this week, beginning their long journey down the Sacramento River toward the Pacific Ocean. But the conditions waiting for them have conservationists deeply concerned.
An early spring heat wave and well-below-average river flows have created a tough environment for young salmon trying to survive the trip downstream. Flows at Wilkins Slough stood at roughly 7,780 cubic feet per second as of midweek, about 38 percent below the threshold that research has linked to significantly higher juvenile survival rates. A 2021 study found that salmon survival jumped from around 19 percent to 51 percent once flows exceeded 10,700 cfs.
The Golden State Salmon Association is pushing the Bureau of Reclamation to release more water from Shasta Dam, arguing the fish need a pulse of flow to move them downriver safely. Executive Director Vance Staplin warned that without action, the young salmon face serious trouble, especially after three consecutive years of closed fishing seasons tied to similar water management decisions…