State and federal agencies unite to boost fish populations and river health in landmark Yuba project
California – California, working with federal agencies and the Yuba Water Agency, has launched a historic project meant to restore native fish populations to their ancestral river habitats in a groundbreaking attempt to revitalize the North Yuba River’s ecosystem. Conservation of some of the oldest aquatic species in the region—including spring-run Chinook salmon, steelhead, lamprey, and sturgeon—is significantly advanced by this cooperative effort.
Governor Gavin Newsom, in a recent announcement, highlighted the project’s importance in balancing water management with ecological preservation.
“In California, we know that water management isn’t a zero-sum game, and we are happy to see that the federal administration is on board with our strategy to safeguard our precious ecosystems. Today, we stand together with our federal partners to restore our waterways and wildlife, including our native fish.,” said Newsom in a news release.
First announced in May 2023, the Yuba River Resilience Initiative brings together the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, and the Yuba Water Agency. California by itself has contributed $30 million; together they have pledged $60 million to the project. This money will help to build fish-friendly infrastructure and support continuous work to bring native species back to the river.
Charlton ‘Chuck’ Bonham, CDFW Director, expressed enthusiasm about the collaborative nature of the initiative.
“When state, local, and federal partners come together to support native fish and watersheds, we see powerful results. Together, these actions will help us fight challenges to fish health and repopulation in the Yuba River through creative, science-based solutions,” Bonham said.
The building of a new nature-like fishway at Daguerre Point Dam is central to the project. Mimicking the natural river habitat, this canal will let salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and lamprey travel beyond the dam to more than 10 miles of prime spawning grounds. Originally intended to control trash from the Gold Rush era, the dam’s construction in 1910 has made these locations mostly unavailable for almost a century.
The project also calls for updating a dam’s water diversion system. This technique will not only keep vital water supplies for agricultural use but also guarantee safer passage for migrating fish, hence protecting these species as they traverse the river system.
A thorough Reintroduction Program aimed at the upper portions of the Yuba River, especially for the recovery of spring-run Chinook salmon, is also part of the project. This effort aims to repopulate these fish in their original spawning locations above the New Bullards Bar Reservoir. The method would include adaptive management techniques enabling continuous changes depending on real-time environmental data and scientific studies to optimize the efficacy of the recovery initiatives.
Construction of the fishway is scheduled to start in early 2026, so significantly advancing the restoration of the ecological balance of the Yuba River. Through these coordinated activities, the project seeks not only to restore declining fish populations but also to maintain the health of the river ecosystem for future generations.
