The salmonid habitat project funded by the Bureau of Reclamation was completed on Oct. 28 on the lower American River in California.
In the state of California, the Folsom Dam plays an important role in the enhancement of local fisheries and water quality improvement, according to a press release from the Bureau of Reclamation. Recent changes in the operation of Shasta Dam designed to enhance the salmon run on the Sacramento River each year sees a release from Folsom that's used to fulfill water delivery obligations and downstream water quality standards that would normally be met by the Shasta on its own.
“The Ancil Hoffman area of the river is a prime spot for spawning salmon and steelhead, and this project will vastly improve habitat for fall-run Chinook salmon,” said Bay-Delta Office Manager David Mooney in the press release. “We appreciate the support of the American River Water Forum, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and all of our other local, state and federal partners in accomplishing this project. We look forward to continued collaboration with our partners on the next set of lower American River projects.”
As part of the project, working crews added more than 15,000 cubic yards of gravel into the river channel in order to establish new spawning habitat to increase salmon numbers, according to the Bureau of Reclamation. In order to complete the designs while still maintaining the feel of a real riverbed, the coming months will see teams planting willow cuttings into alcoves and including seeds of native grass and wildflowers in the rearing alcove.
Folsom Dam is responsible for flood damage prevention within the City of Sacramento, where the American River is located, according to the Bureau of Reclamation. As one of the most at-risk flood communities in the nation, Folsom Dam operates under Joint Federal Project (JFP), Reclamation, the Corps, the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency and the Central Valley Flood Protection Board to form a lasting partnership aimed at providing enhanced flood protection for the Sacramento area.
