Salmon Report

Butte Creek supports the largest run of Wild, Naturally Spawned Spring Run Chinook Salmon in California

Update Sept. 2, 2009: Read Allen Harthorn's State of the Salmon 2009.

Restoration

Over $30,000,000 (see Restoration Handout) has been spent on improved fish passage in the lower watershed. Much of the best salmon habitat is blocked by Centerville Head Dam and still has reduced flows (71% to 82% reduction in summer) and increased water temperature below the dam.

Descriptions and status of various restoration projects is avaiable here.

Spring Run Salmon

By all measures wild Butte Creek Spring Run have recovered, averaging over 10,000 salmon per year for the last twelve years (see Spring Run Population), while hatchery Fall Run stocks have collapsed. This years run is not so good. Tagged stray Butte Creek Spring Run have shown up in Battle Creek, Clear Creek, and the Feather River Hatchery.

Data provided by California Department of Fish and Game and is based on snorkel counts and/or carcass counts. Numbers are approximate and generally reflect pre-spawning live adults except where noted.  Pre-spawn mortality numbers are provided in years where data has been made available.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service Anadromous Fish Restoration Program, often called the "Doubling Plan", estimated that a population of approximately 3000 returning adults a year would represent a recovered Butte Creek spring run Chinook population. The fifty year average for Butte Creek is now over 2,700 adults per year. the thirty year average is 3,600+, the twenty year average is 5,400+, and the average for the last eleven years, counting the pre-spawn mortalities, is a staggering 12,000+. The Department of Fish and Game and PGE believe that the creek is saturated at 6,000 adults and refuse to open new habitat above the impassable Centerville Dam. Unfortunately the run collapsed this year to 2,561 spring run.

Friends of Butte Creek believes that Butte Creek spring run Chinook are fully recovered at 3000 fish per year unless new habitat is made available. This is a Public Trust Resource and it can not be wasted.

Steelhead Trout

Steelhead trout are not doing well at all. (see Fishing Report) Their habitat is greatly reduced by hydroelectric operations and all downstream migrants are diverted into the PGE flumes because there are no screens. Many forest and aquatic creatures have benefited including Bald Eagles like the one in the photo, seen last May.