By Paul Moreno
CHICO — In the steep canyons of Butte County is a creek with an iconic wild fish population. These threatened salmon call Butte Creek home.
“The population of salmon we have here is Central Valley Spring-run Chinook and there are only three self-sustaining populations left,” says Catalina Reyes, a senior aquatic biologist at PG&E, who keeps a close eye on the fish.
In summer, salmon hold in the cool, deep pools of Butte Creek, waiting to spawn in the fall. (Photos by James Green.)
In the late winter and spring, the salmon make the arduous journey past the Golden Gate and eventually up to Butte Creek. In summer they hold in the cool, deep pools of the creek, waiting to spawn in the fall. Reyes says the fish rely on cold water to get them through the holding period.
PG&E has hydroelectric powerhouses along Butte Creek. To boost generation, the utility transfers water from another watershed and in doing so, supplements Butte Creek’s natural flows. The imported water from Philbrook Reservoir is colder and keeps Butte Creek’s temperatures down in summer, which helps the salmon.
But the cold water supplies are limited, especially in a drought.
Managing the water flows to help the salmon takes a close partnership with wildlife agencies.
“PG&E has been a really good partner with the Department of Fish & Wildlife and the National Marine Fisheries Service to provide excellent quality and cold clear water for the survival of the fish in Butte Creek,” says Andrew Hughan, public information officer for the California Department of Fish & Wildlife.
Drought years present challenges, but everyone steps up.
Saving salmon is given a much higher priority than in the past. And the effort by PG&E and its partners has been successful.
“Each year we coordinate with state and federal wildlife agencies to increase flows from Philbrook Reservoir that feed Butte Creek during summer months,” says Kyle Ingvoldsen, generation supervisor at PG&E.
That coordination has been especially important as things changed over the past four decades. Today, saving salmon is given a much higher priority than in the past. And the effort has been successful.
“In the late 1970s we saw 10 individuals holding in Butte Creek compared to recent years where we have seen runs as large as 16,000 fish,” said Reyes.
Despite the success, it’s vital to remain vigilant.
“It’s very important that all the partners do as much as we can do preserve these fish because if we don’t take steps, they’ll be gone, and there’s no coming back when they’re gone,” noted Hughan.
Email Currents at Currents@pge.com.