The California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) has approved a significant funding package of roughly $71 million dedicated to the conservation and recovery of salmon and steelhead populations.
The funding is the largest component of an $87 million investment package greenlit at the board’s November meeting. Spread across 16 different projects, the initiative aligns with Governor Gavin Newsom’s “California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future,” which aims to protect fish populations against the escalating threats of climate change.
“Recovering salmon runs in the Central Valley will take bold, coordinated investment,” said Charlton H. Bonham, Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). “WCB continues to deliver on-the-ground results, putting resources directly into the places that matter most for salmon recovery.”
Major Projects Funded:
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Feather River Restoration ($32 Million): The Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency received the largest grant to restore one mile of the Feather River. The project will reconnect 51 acres of floodplain, creating vital habitat for salmon and steelhead.
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Battle Creek Habitat Protection ($15 Million): A grant awarded to River Partners will fund the acquisition of 1,715 acres along Battle Creek. This purchase aims to protect essential spawning and rearing grounds. An additional $585,000 will be used to retire water rights in the area to keep flows healthy for fish.
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Sacramento River Fish Screens ($15 Million): Meridian Farms Water Company will use this funding to modernize water infrastructure. The “Meridian Farms Fish Screen Project” will replace two unscreened diversions with a single screened one, preventing fish from being trapped in water systems and improving passage along the river.
Additional Initiatives:
The package also includes targeted funding for several other critical waterways:
- $6.2 million to remove fish passage barriers between the Sacramento and Yolo Bypasses.
- $1.2 million to ensure year-round passage for Chinook salmon in Putah Creek.
- $800,000 for Coho salmon habitat protection in the Scott River watershed.
- $333,000 to design juvenile rearing sites along the lower American River.
WCB Executive Director Jennifer Norris highlighted the collaborative nature of the effort: “These projects represent how California agencies are working together to restore functional river systems and resilient habitats that support both fish and people.”