Sacramento River fish swimming through Redding will have more places to rest, eat and hide from predators starting this spring.
Conservationists announced they’ll build rockwad homes — tree and rock structures — for juvenile salmon and trout to live until they migrate out of Shasta County.
Rockwads imitate debris clusters that once collected in the river. That debris was “a refuge to nurture young fish at the start of the life cycle,” said engineer Josh Watkins, Manager of the City of Redding Water Utility. Replicating those habitats will “ensure salmon and trout populations have a place to grow and thrive.”
Funding for the project comes from state and federal grants, not from Redding coffers, he said.
However, it behooves Redding to protect Sacramento River fish.
“The better the fish — specifically the salmon — are doing, the better for our water supply to prevent water scarcity,” Watkins said. More fish mean the state may approve more water released from Shasta Dam for drinking and farming.
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Where is Sacramento River fish home construction in Redding?
Starting Monday, April 27, farmers, scientists and conservationists will build the rockwads and install them north of the Sundial Bridge near the Redding Rodeo grounds, Watkins said.
Spectators can watch from the bridge and nearby on the Sacramento River Trail as crews use a barge to position the rockwads. Best views are probably from the trail on the north side of the river, opposite Redding Memorial Park cemetery, Watkins said.
The city will close the Turtle Bay Boat Launch after 9 a.m. daily starting Monday. Closures last through Sunday, May 3, after workers wrap up the project.
The Sacramento Valley Ecological Restoration Foundation effort follows earlier similar projects in 2017 and 2023, Watkins said. Crews installed a total of 45 shelters for young fish near the South Bonnyview Bridge, the city reported.
How to build a home for salmon, trout
The rockwads are natural structures built from 60 trees gathered from an almond farm in Woodland. The rocks come from five-ton boulders quarried in Northern California.
Not just a home for juvenile salmon and trout to grow and feed, the shelter helps young fish avoid predators. A cozy home entices the fish to stay longer in colder waters, Watkins said, and “the longer they remain in these safe spaces, the greater the odds of healthy maturation for their journey to the Pacific Ocean.”
For more information on rockwads building in Northern California’s Sacramento Valley go to sacvalleywater.org/conservation/rockwads-project.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica on Record Searchlight Facebook groups Get Out! Nor Cal , Today in Shasta County and Shaping Redding’s Future. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: New fish habitats in Sacramento River to boost count, water supply
Reporting by Jessica Skropanic, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
