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Reconnecting the Klamath

In Klamath by Sam Davidson

The decades-long campaign Trout Unlimited and our Tribal and conservation partners have waged to restore the third most productive river for salmon and steelhead on the West Coast has taken a dramatic leap forward toward eventual dam removal.

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Flowing free in ’23

In California, Oregon by Sam Davidson

Part 3 of Life after dams: The Klamath River, straddling the border between California and Oregon, is the third most productive watershed for salmon and steelhead on the West Coast. The Klamath is also Ground Zero for one of the most challenging water conflicts in U.S. history.

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Wild Steelheaders United applauds Sen. Wyden and Gov. Brown’s opposition to FERC approval of Jordan Cove Energy Project

In Oregon by Kyle Smith

Yesterday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission voted 2-1 to approve the highly controversial Jordan Cove Energy Project.  The project would include an export terminal in Coos Bay, OR and a 230-mile-long pipeline from Malin, OR to the export facility on the southern Oregon coast. The pipeline’s route will cross a number of iconic salmon and steelhead watersheds, including the Coquille, …

Science Friday: How do steelhead survive in intermittent streams?

In Science Friday by Nick Chambers

It’s the first Friday in October — officially, “Septober” for us steelheaders.   Unfortunately, steelhead runs across much of the West Coast have been down this year, and now there is another blob of warm water in the North Pacific. Things don’t look good right now, but wild steelhead have withstood these types of conditions before. As long as we …

A Genetic Basis for Summer and Winter Steelhead – a follow up

In California, Science Friday by Nick Chambers

By Charlie Schneider   We’re going to bring things full circle this week, with a look at how emerging science can meld with policy and restoration efforts to help reach our ultimate goal of improving steelhead runs.   A previous SF post (http://www.wildsteelheaders.org/much-at-stake-in-listing-decision-on-northern-california-summer-steelhead/ ) highlighted the petition to list summer steelhead on the Eel River in Northern California, and discussed …

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Science Friday: Sand bars, lagoons and moving steelhead

In California, Science Friday by Nick Chambers

Back to back Science Friday posts focusing on California and the unique challenges that steelhead face in the state. This week we pivot from juvenile steelhead coping with ponded pools to a look at juveniles that enter and live seasonally in lagoons at the mouths of creeks and rivers — a phenomenon fairly common in smaller coastal watersheds in California …

TU lauds new public lands bill for NW California

In California by Nick Chambers

  The northwest corner of California, between the Russian and Klamath Rivers, is home to some of the best remaining salmon and steelhead streams in the West. This region boasts some of the most famous steelhead fisheries in the world, including the Trinity, Mad, Mattole, and Eel River systems.   Trout Unlimited’s North Coast Coho Project has been working for …

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Science Friday: The fate of stranded post-spawn adult steelhead

In Science Friday by Nick Chambers

By John McMillan   One significant way in which steelhead differ from salmon is that O. mykiss have the ability to survive spawning and try to make the journey again. This behavior is referred to as repeat spawning.   Repeat spawner rates are highly variable among populations of steelhead, with rates being higher in coastal streams than among inland populations …