River deal respawns salmon hopes

The dwindling number of salmon entering the Yuba River and spawning in the last year has raised concerns from environmental groups. It also has prompted an aggregate mining company to dedicate land for the restoration of habitat for the fish.

Western Aggregates and the South Yuba River Citizens League are teaming up to develop salmon habitat along three miles of the Yuba River just south of Parks Bar Bridge in Yuba County.

The final agreement between the two has not been drafted but representatives expect one in the coming months.

David Greenblatt, attorney for Western Aggregate, said the company has been looking into the possibility of creating a conservation easement on the northeast portion of its property to help with fish habitat in the future.

"We're not mining on the property," Greenblatt said. "So we tried to think of ways to put it to good use for the river and the community."

This project, Greenblatt said, started after a woman from the California State University, Sacramento Center for Collaborative Policy contacted him. He said she had been doing research on ways Yuba County could benefit as a whole from recreation, hiking and biking trails, but noted nothing was being done to make those ideas a reality.

Greenblatt said the public will be able to access the property, but on a limited basis.

"We want to be sure the habitat is protected from destruction," he said.

The restoration project will include three separate habitats along three miles of the river, according to Greenblatt.

Scientists will begin to look at three different options to determine which ones are best for the river, Greenblatt said. Those options include side channels, back channels or terrace setbacks, All are designed to provide food, shade and a place for juvenile fish to grow and develop.

Research and construction is expected to take three years.

Salmon populations entering the rivers in Central California have been dwindling since 2002, prompting the federal government to ban all salmon fishing on the West Coast until numbers improve. It's estimated that salmon populations, particularly Chinook, dropped from 800,000 in 2002 to 59,000 last fall.

Experts said a number of factors could be contributing to the low numbers including ocean conditions, loss of food supply and disrupted migrations to feeding grounds.

On the Feather River, though, the state Fish and Game Commission restricted salmon fishing to one fish per day last season.

Jason Rainey, executive director of SYRCL, said this project is aimed at providing juvenile habitat, food and protection from predators and flooding.

"None of us are naive about what the Yuba River can do," Rainey said referring to the flooding and high flows that the Yuba has seen.

"The river is going to do what it is going to do," he said. "But during moderate flows - maybe 50,000 cubic feet per second - we're looking at designs to give these juveniles the ability to stay in fresh water" and not be swept downstream.

Rainey said, as a group, SYRCL tries to do everything it can for Yuba River fish.

Though this project is not a part of the Yuba River Accord - an agreement passed by 17 agencies last March to regulate Yuba River water flows and improve salmon and steelhead habitat - Rainey said it will compliment that agreement.

Greenblatt said the next step is for the groups to secure money for research and development of the habitats. Western Aggregates has said it will match SYRCL's fundraising efforts dollar for dollar for the first $50,000.

Greenblatt and Rainey agreed the partnership was ideal for the project.

"We have the land and they have the expertise," Greenblatt said. " Why not come together to do something for the river."