Home / Environment / Dam Removal Unlocks 9 Miles of Salmon Habitat
Dam Removal Unlocks 9 Miles of Salmon Habitat
4 Nov
Summary
- An 8-foot dam on Cedar Creek was removed after 60 years.
- Salmon spawning and juvenile coho salmon observed upstream.
- Project restores vital cold-water refuge for fish.
An old concrete dam on Cedar Creek, a tributary of the South Fork Eel River in Northern California, has been removed. This barrier had obstructed salmon and steelhead migration for over six decades, limiting access to approximately 9 miles of upstream habitat.
The 8-foot dam, originally built in the late 1940s for an experimental fish hatchery, was left standing after the hatchery's closure in 1964. Its removal by California Trout (CalTrout) and partners in 2022 has successfully reopened this vital stretch of waterway.
Positive outcomes were immediate. Adult chinook salmon were documented spawning upstream of the former dam in December 2022, a section previously inaccessible. A subsequent survey in August 2023 identified 34 juvenile coho salmon in the creek, marking a significant return for a species not seen in the area for 15 years.
Cedar Creek is crucial for providing cooler water to the South Fork Eel River during summer. By eliminating this barrier, the project not only restores migration routes but also enhances habitat for juvenile fish, offering them refuge from increasing water temperatures, which is vital for their survival as climate change impacts river systems.
