Ongoing Projects:

NMFS-Southwest Region’s Habitat Conservation Division plays an important role in California’s fish screening program through its leadership and oversight; as well as by conducting field research, performance assessments, and diving inspections. >> read more

Hydropower Relicensing Program

Relicensing Hydroelectric Projects: HCD Staff are integral participants in the relicensing of non-federal hydropower projects, including dams, which may block passage for migratory fish. These projects, numbering in the thousands in the Pacific Northwest, come up for relicensing only every 30-50 years and present an enormous opportunity for habitat restoration. The National Marine Fisheries Service has a unique authority and responsibility under the Federal Power Act to restore access to blocked habitat, if warranted. NMFS Southwest Regional staffs are engaged in projects from the Oregon border to Sacramento, and from the mountains to the oceans. >> read more

Northern California Power Plant Technical Assistance and Consultations

Power plants which utilize once-through cooling impact Essential Fish Habitat through entrainment and impingement impacts. The SWR HCD has participated in several forums to eliminate or minimize these impacts to NOAA Trust Resources. >> read more

Caspar Creek Coho Fish Ladders

Caspar Creek is a fresh water stream in the Jackson Demonstration State Forest, Mendocino County, California, that supports a small population of endangered coho salmon. Two state-of-the-art fishways were designed to promote upstream passage of adult and juvenile coho to habitats above the research station weirs operated by the U.S. Forest Service’s Redwood Sciences Laboratory on the north and south forks of Caspar Creek. The Region’s Bioengineering Team was involved with the design/review process in which creative solutions were employed to achieve effective fish passage while not interfering with the long term hydrologic research activities

Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District Fish Screen Evaluation

In 2000, the world’s longest, continuous fish screening system was placed in operation to protect endangered winter-run Chinook salmon at the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District’s water diversion plant on the Sacramento River. NOAA Fisheries engineers have been involved in monitoring its performance by designing testing procedures to gather data about the hydraulic characteristics of the system. The object of this testing is to ensure winter-run fry (small juvenile fish) are adequately protected from the large water diversion pumps. Currently, we are developing an updated study design for field testing that is scheduled to occur in October 2007.

Kilarc-Cow Creek Hydropower Decommissioning

Kilarc-Cow Creek is a tributary to California’s Sacramento River. Pacific Gas and Electric operates small hydropower facilities on the creek that impede fish passage and cause habitat fragmentation for salmon and other aquatic species. PG&E has decided to decommission these facilities because they are no longer cost-effective to operate under current conditions. NOAA Fisheries hydropower staff is working with PG&E and other stakeholders to ensure the decommissioning proceeds in a way that will restore the habitat in the watershed for salmon.

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07/18/08