Upper Sacramento River Habitat Restoration Video
Still image of a side channel on the Sacramento River, part of the Upper Sacramento River Habitat Restoration project.
About 60 miles north of Chico, CA is Anderson River Park which sits along the Sacramento River, downstream from Shasta and Keswick dams. In 2015, this site became the target of a multi-pronged effort to restore 15 side channels along the Sacramento River to support native fish such as Chinook salmon.
Side channels are important components for rearing fish, because the main channel of a river is too deep, and the water moves too fast, and predator species are abundant. Because of this, fish go into the side channels to find cover and protection. However, overtime, dams and other actions have greatly reduced this habitat for small fish in the Sacramento River.
In 2010, a partnership was formed between the federal Bureau of Reclamation, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), Yurok Tribe, Sacramento River Forum, CSU Chico, and River Partners. The goal was to increase juvenile fish habitat in the river by completing 15 projects along the river around Anderson River Park.
The restoration work included enhancing the land for existing flows, revegetation, and preserving existing vegetation. Restoration projects can take decades to complete, and this project was completed in 2021. This restoration effort will hopefully create more cushion for fish during the winter to withstand a difficult summer.