- Author: Maddison Easley
A collaborative effort involving the Pasternack Lab at UC Davis, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Englebright Dam representatives, private contractors, and the UC Sierra Foothill Research & Extension Center has made significant headway in enhancing spawning habitat for anadromous fish on portions of the lower Yuba River.
Since 2007, more than 15,000 tons of triple washed gravel and cobble has been deposited (watch the time lapse video here) during periods of low flow in the stretch of river downstream from Englebright Dam, between the Narrows II and Narrows I powerhouses. During high flows a portion of this material is washed downstream.
Chinook salmon is the key species this project aims to impact. Ideal conditions for spawning include a flow of 1.5-2 feet per second (fps) and a depth of two feet. With the material deposition, expanded habitat is being created to encourage additional spawning. Even with a very limited volume of coarse aggregate added, over 100 salmon redds were documented between September of 2009 and February of 2010. This finding suggests that with additional deposition, a spring run for the salmon is definitely a possibility. Ultimately, having higher populations of fish will enhance the surrounding ecosystem and benefit all users of the lower Yuba River.
The summertime injections began this season again in late June and will continue until the end of August. Beginning in September, anadromous fish will be seen in the stretches of the lower Yuba to complete their life cycle.
Sources: UC Davis, Gregory Pasternack Lab
- Contributor: Ben Granholm
Initiated by Jerry Tecklin and Dr. Steve Beissinger in 2002, the Black Rail Project monitors the population dynamics and movements of two very secretive wetland birds, the Black Rail and the Virginia Rail. Over the past decade, researchers have examined a wide range of questions regarding these difficult-to-study birds including genetics, dispersal of young, West Nile Virus, territoriality, wetland type and vegetation preferences, and diet. Now in its thirteenth year, Nathan Van Schmidt is researching how the rails cope with drought, seasonal hydrology regimes, and the "rescue effect."
Check out the video for details!
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- Author: Ben Granholm
Nearly 60 individuals gathered at SFREC for the 6th Annual Lower Yuba River Accord Symposium on July 15th to dive into the history, management and future of the Lower Yuba River. Attendees listened to presentations and asked questions of those involved in the river's preservation.
Speaking on the goals of the River Management Team and the current Monitoring and Evaluation Program, Tom Johnson of the Yuba County Water Agency discussed efforts to develop optimum flow schedules, record temperature performance and ensure the smooth implementation of Yuba Accord operations.
Looking at the year-round temperatures of the Yuba River, Casey Campos and Duane Massa with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, talked of what these temperatures mean for the spawning and livelihood of fish inhabiting the river, particularly the habitats of the Chinook salmon. Campos explained that the Yuba River is among the coldest in the Central Valley.
Symposium coordinators, Gary Reedy of the South Yuba River Citizen League spoke on the need for habitat enhancement, giving a summary of previous actions, while Beth Campbell of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) discussed enhancement initiatives implemented by FWS.
The symposium concluded with lunch at the Yuba River Education Center, followed by a float down the beautiful Yuba River.
- Author: Megan G Osbourn
Along the stream is the Riparian area where you will find many plants that have roots in the water or very damp soil. Even in the dry summer months, these plants usually grow tall and jungle-like since they have plenty of water. These Riparian plants are important because they help stabilize soil and filter impurities from the water in addition to providing critical habitat for a variety of wildlife. Holes in large rocks can also be found near the water where the Native Americans who once lived in the Sierra Foothills would grind acorns into flour.
Finally, hikers will come upon a convenient steel foot bridge that spans over the entire marsh area. The soil in this small basin is always saturated due to contact with the water table. Here you will find specialized plants that grow well when their roots are always wet such as cattails, reeds, forbs and shrubs. This vegetation provides nesting habitat for a rare bird species called the black rail that was recently discovered to be living in the foothills.
- Author: Ben Granholm
Epizootic bovine abortion (EBA), also referred to as foothill abortion, is one of the most serious cattle diseases in the Western United States. UC researchers, Professor Jeff Stott and Specialist Myra Blanchard from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine have made major headway in developing a vaccine for this disease and currently are mid-way through a multi-year field trial examining vaccine field efficacy. This disease is carried by ticks and is present in many foothill regions making SFREC a natural outdoor lab to evaluate field efficacy.
Last Wednesday researchers checked pregnancy status and condition on heifers assigned to the study. By August, heifers will be moved to irrigated pasture where SFERC staff can monitor animals closely for how the vaccine improves calving success and calf health. To read more about the efforts of SFREC researchers to combat foothill abortion, click here.