Articles:

• Trustee Council makes 1997 Grant Selections
• Not quite the 100-year flood, but darn near.
• Cantara Staff Perspectives: Angling Regulations
• Council Launches Minigrant Program
• Construction Underway for the North State's California Welcome Center
• 1996 Grants Provide Natural Resource Benefits
• Update on the Recovery of the Upper Sacramento River Trout Fishery
  

Top   Scott River.		Trustee Council Makes 1997 Grant Selections After hearing presentations from 23 finalists during a three-day meeting at Bridge Bay Resort in late January, the Cantara Trustee Council made its funding selections for the 1997 grant cycle. Nine projects were funded by the Council at a total cost of $824,010. This year's selection process was more difficult than last year, in part because of the tremendous interest in the program. A total of 58 applications were received, an increase of nearly 50% over last year.  Acquisition and Resource Protection projects received the largest percentage of this year's grant funds. Among these, the Council allocated $175,000 to Shasta-Trinity National Forest to develop a day-use area and river access at Pollard Flat. This reach of the river currently has very limited access for family-oriented recreation and the site access itself is suitable for 4-wheel drive vehicles only. Council funds will be used to improve vehicle access, develop picnic areas, parking and restrooms.  As part of a larger resource protection and planning initiative, the Council allocated $277,000 to develop an up-to-date vegetation map for the upper Sacramento River watershed. Botanists and cartographers from KEA Inc. and Chico State University will conduct the work this summer. The map will become a data layer in the Council's Geographic Information System that will be used to guide wildlife habitat restoration and resource protection planning at the watershed scale.  Riparian Restoration and Enhancement projects were funded in Siskiyou, Modoc, and Shasta Counties. The Siskiyou Resource Conservation District received $50,000 for stream bank stabilization and revegetation along the Scott River in Siskiyou County. This project is immediately below a 4-mile reach that was restored with funds from the Council in 1996. Together, the two projects will improve instream and riparian habitat on almost 8 miles of river.  The Council also approved a $27,000 grant to complete a restoration plan for the lower portions of Sulphur Creek in downtown Redding. As part of the plan, Sacramento Watersheds Action Group will design a new, stable channel through the Redding Arboretum to the confluence with the Sacramento River. A Coordinated Resource Management Group (CRMP) will be formed to guide long-term restoration and enhancement work on Sulphur Creek.  Study and Research projects received fewer dollars than last year, in keeping with the Council's Expenditure Plan. The Department of Fish and Game received $120,000 to continue ongoing creel surveys along the upper Sacramento during the 1997 fishing season. Beyond measuring angler success, creel surveys are the only tool currently available to estimate the impacts of fishing on the recovering wild trout population. This year's surveys will be expanded to provide a measure of all recreational uses along the river.  Funding was approved for two Public Information and Education projects, both within the upper Sacramento River watershed. The City of Dunsmuir's River Exchange project received $120,000 to continue the innovative program it started in 1996. Also in Dunsmuir, the local school district received a grant for $30,000 to continue and expand its watershed education program.  Following the allocation of this year's funds, the Council has decided to focus future grants on restoration and acquisition projects. Needed study and research projects will be incorporated into the Council's strategic planning process; this category will be eliminated from the 1998 grant package.
Top     Stone fountain uncovered by floods not seen since 1974.		Not quite the 100-year flood, but darn near....... Those of us who have watched the upper Sacramento River recover following the devastating Cantara Spill have been continually amazed by the river’s dynamic nature. This past New Year’s Eve, the river reminded us of the true definition of “dynamic." At the stroke of midnight, the river rang in the New Year with an overwhelming flow of 62,234 cubic feet per second! This is the second highest flow since the U. S. Geological Survey started keeping records at the mouth of the river near Delta in 1945.  The January flood of 1974 (69,800 cfs) is generally regarded as the “100-year” event. A 100-year discharge is a flow that has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. By this yardstick, the New Year’s flood of 1997 was on the order of an 80 to 85-year event.  Wreaking havoc on the human environment along the river, the high flows damaged Dunsmuir’s sewage treatment plant and broke the main sewer line in several places. Many residences along the river suffered property damage as well. The Union Pacific railroad tracks were damaged in over 30 locations between Cantara Loop and Lake Shasta.  But what about the natural environment? Most obvious in the weeks following the flood were changes in the river channel itself and the loss of riparian trees and shrubs.  In the reach between Dunsmuir and Castella, the river abandoned channels in many locations. These areas now appear as dry, boulder-strewn corridors, sometimes as much as one hundred feet from the current active channel! In places the river appeared to be seeking its pre-1974 course. At Castella, an old stonework fountain buried by the 1974 flood resurfaced on New Year’s Day. Flows of this magnitude can also affect the aquatic ecosystem. While most fish avoid the high velocities by heading to quiet water on the banks, some individuals become stranded as the waters recede. Aquatic insects are frequently dislodged during high flows, resulting in a temporary reduction of the aquatic food base through “wash-out”. Less mobile organisms such as snails and other mollusks may suffer greater losses as the bed load becomes mobile. While the effects of the flood will be visible for some time, it is important to remember that these events are natural, and even necessary, components of the river ecosystem. Unlike the metam sodium spill in 1991, the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems of the river are well-adapted to this type of disturbance. The New Year’s Eve flood reminds us of the power and resilience of nature, setting a new bench-mark for the next chapter in the river’s story.
Top		Cantara Staff Perspectives: Angling Regulations On the Upper Sacramento Are up for Review in 1997 -by Steve Turek, Cantara fishery biologist When I was a neophyte with the Department of Fish and Game, I had no concept of how fishing regulations were established in the State of California. After experiencing the entire process a few times, I want to share with you what I have learned so that you will understand the process a little better. I also want to let you know how you can make a difference.  The California Fish and Game Commission consists of five private citizens. These folks are appointed by the governor of California, and the Department of Fish and Game provides staff support for the Commission. The Department must evaluate all public and government comments and can recommend fishing regulation changes, but ultimately the Commission sets fishing regulations for the state.  Every two years the Commission reviews recommendations from the public, governmental agencies and the Department to change existing fishing regulations for all waters within California, including the upper Sacramento. The next cycle begins in late August 1997 to establish new fishing regulations for 1998 and 1999.  During late July or early August 1997, the Department will hold a public meeting in Dunsmuir to present monitoring results and to take public recommendations for fishing regulations on the upper Sacramento. The results of that meeting will be summarized in a memo to the Commission for their consideration. Holding public meetings is not a requirement in the process for setting new regulations, but has been very useful given the special circumstances that surround the upper Sacramento.  If you have recommendations for fishing regulations that you want the Commission to consider, be sure to attend the public meeting or write directly to the Commission at:  California Fish and Game Commission,  1416 Ninth Street, Room 1320, Box 944209,  Sacramento, California 94244-2090.  This is your opportunity as the public to let the Commission know your views on fishing regulations and to involve yourself in the process. The Commission will consider all reasonable recommendations.  On August 29,1997, the Department will present fishing regulation recommendations for all waters to the Commission in Sacramento. Public recommendations should also be mailed to the Commission by the same date. In San Diego, on October 2 and 3, 1997, and in Redding, on November 6 and 7, 1997, the Commission will discuss fishing regulation recommendations. Then on December 4 and 5, 1997 the Commission will adopt California’s fishing regulations for 1998 and 1999. The public is welcome at all of the Commission meetings.  Remember that fishing regulations are set on a two year cycle, so if you don’t provide your recommendations on the upper Sacramento, or any other water for that matter, by August 29, 1997, you will have to wait until the summer of 1999 for your next opportunity.
Top		Council Launches Minigrant Program At its January meeting, the Cantara Trustee Council authorized the initiation of a minigrant program. A total of $25,000 was allotted for 1997. These funds will be available to persons or entities who want to conduct small-scale and small cost projects in Shasta and Siskiyou counties. Applicants can qualify for minigrant funds if their project provides direct benefits to the biological or recreational resources damaged by the 1991 chemical spill in the upper Sacramento River. Projects should focus on restoration or enhancement of resources, research on restoration methods, or public information/education about the spill or watershed stewardship. The Shasta County program ($15,000 available in 1997) will be run by the Cantara Program staff, with application periods in both spring and fall. The spring application deadline is April 17. Fall applications will be available August 15 and the deadline for receipt will be October 1. Questions about the minigrant program and applications for the Shasta County Program can be referred to the Cantara Program staff at (916) 225-2143. The Siskiyou County program ($10,000 available in 1997) will be run by the County Fish and Game Commission, which will evaluate the proposals and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. The County Administrator’s Office will distribute the funds to approved applicants. Application deadlines have not been set for this program. Contact the commission chair, Mr. Bob Gray, (916) 926-6084 for more information about the Siskiyou County Program.
Top		Construction Underway for the North State's California Welcome Center In 1996, the Cantara Trustee Council granted $75,000 to the Shasta Cascade Educational Foundation to assist the completion of the new California Welcome Center, an interagency visitor and interpretive center to be located in Anderson. On March 4, 1997 the ground breaking ceremony initiated the construction phase of the project. Scheduled to open by October 1997, the center will be a great opportunity to inform a large number of visitors to the north state about recreational opportunities and attractions in the Shasta Cascade Region, as well as educate them about our natural resources. The Trustee Council’s interpretive space will include a photo display of the upper Sacramento River highlighting the Cantara Spill and recovery efforts, a three-dimensional model/map of the upper Sacramento River watershed, and a rock waterfall and cold water trout aquarium display. Other partners in the project include the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, City of Anderson, City of Redding Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Redding Rancheria, and the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association.
Top     Ney Springs.         Cantara Site.		1996 Grants Provide Natural Resource Benefits One year after the start of the Council’s grant program, our natural resources and communities are benefiting in a multitude of ways. Seventeen grants were awarded in 1996 for a variety of projects from land acquisition to student involvement in restoration and monitoring activities. Below are highlighted the results of a 1996 grant project in each of the Council’s funding categories. Acquisition. The acquisition of a 47.7 acre addition to the Battle Creek Wildlife Area has been completed and incorporated into the Department of Fish and Game’s management plan for the area. This addition will protect an existing riparian corridor, improve landscape linkages, and provide improved public access to the area. Restoration. Working to improve public access to two fishing access sites on wildlife areas along the upper Sacramento River, the Cantara/Ney Springs Enhancement Project has also consisted of work to restore and protect the riparian habitats in these areas.  At the Cantara site, restrooms were installed during most of last year’s fishing season and will be in place again this year. Work was done to confine cars to designated parking spaces, and compacted soils were loosened to promote natural revegetation in areas close to the river. Picnic tables and an information kiosk are scheduled to be place with this year’s fishing season. Maintenance and monitoring of both sites by volunteers will continue for the next several years.  Public Information. Over the last year, the City of Dunsmuir’s River Exchange project has been busy. In addition to establishing a board of directors and working toward its non-profit status, the exchange is working on the opening of a River Center in Dunsmuir. This interpretive center will provide information to the public about the Sacramento River and activities within the watershed, as well as house a library of Cantara Spill related reports. The grand opening will occur on April 25. The Dunsmuir River Festival will coincide with the opening of fishing season on April 26 and continue through April 27. Linking the center’s activities with the local schools in Dunsmuir and Mount Shasta, the Exchange’s school outreach program consists of activities such as presentations to classrooms about the river ecosystem and the reading of a children’s story about the spill and its effects. The Exchange also coordinates community volunteers in restoration and clean-up activities on the river.  Research. At work by dawn all last summer, Point Reyes Bird Observatory personnel completed another field season of monitoring the recovery of riparian bird species in spill damaged areas of the river. Results from this year indicate signs of recovery of adult populations, although production of young birds is still lower than expected compared to non-damaged areas.
Top		Update on the Recovery of the Upper Sacramento River Trout Fishery Monitoring the recovery of the wild trout fishery since the Cantara spill has been accomplished with the use of snorkel, electrofishing and angler surveys. The results of the 1996 surveys indicate some interesting trends that we want to share with you.  Snorkel surveys this past summer showed an overall reduction in the number of trout in the river when compared to both 1994 and 1995. While the reduction was related to lower numbers of young of the year present in the river in 1996, the numbers of trout greater than 4 inches in size actually increased about 11% from 1995 to 2,291 per mile in 1996. Anglers fished nearly 70,000 hours in 1996. Out of the total 61,000 trout caught only about 2,000 wild trout and 15,000 hatchery trout were harvested. The average size of wild trout harvested declined from 12.8 inches in 1995 to 11.4 inches in 1996. It appears, however, that excellent survival of young of the year wild trout in 1994 and 1995 led to a high proportion of one and two year old trout in the 8-10 inch range in the river during 1996, resulting in the observed decline in the average size of trout harvested. Electrofishing surveys, conducted at seven locations on the river, resulted in a catch of 744 trout during November 1996. Of these, fewer than 1% (7) were hatchery fish. The electrofishing results also show a reduction in the proportions of larger wild trout and the average size of wild trout in the harvest area of river compared to the catch and release areas. In the harvest area, only 47% of the wild trout caught by electrofishing were greater than eight inches in size compared to 61% in the catch and release areas.  Surveys to date have indicated that the high angling pressure and harvest in the six mile harvest area through Dunsmuir have reduced the numbers and average size of wild trout in that reach. Despite the harvest impact, the wild trout populations for the entire river have continued to increase and may now be stabilizing. It appears that the catch and release regulations on 32 miles of river have greatly enhanced the recovery of the fishery.  Monitoring reports are available at 2440 Athens Avenue in Redding.

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