Issues and Causes

Let The Salmon Swim – Volunteer to help our Action at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival
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Let The Salmon Swim – Volunteer to help our Action at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival

At this year’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival, we will be asking our membership and festival attendees to sign a letter to Governor Newsom and the State Water Board.

We want to make sure, as part of the process to update the Bay-Delta Plan, that enough water flows through the Delta and to the Golden Gate Bridge to protect salmon and other native species.

Salmon Return Numbers: November/December 2023
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Salmon Return Numbers: November/December 2023

Through SYRCL’s participation in the River Management Team (RMT), our staff receives monthly updates on the number of Chinook and steelhead utilizing the fish ladders at Daguerre Point Dam. This information is collected using VAKI River Watcher camera systems installed in the ladders, which snaps a photo every time a fish swims past it. The numbers from this last fall-run of Chinook salmon are in, and we are cautiously optimistic.  

The Yuba River and the Bay Delta: From Source to Sea — The Journey of Yuba Water to the Golden Gate
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The Yuba River and the Bay Delta: From Source to Sea — The Journey of Yuba Water to the Golden Gate

The Golden Gate Bridge is a critical landmark for the migration of salmon in the region. Salmon are anadromous—they start their lives in freshwater, journey to the ocean, and then make their way back to freshwater to reproduce. The Golden Gate Bridge serves as the gateway and departure point for these fish as they navigate between the Pacific Ocean and the Yuba River, where they spawn.

Under this iconic bridge is the original “Golden Gate”—a 1-mile wide and 3-mile-long strait that connects the Bay to the ocean. Think of this as the finish line in a Yuba salmon’s 110-mile odyssey to the sea. Two-thirds of California’s salmon pass through the Golden Gate.

The Yuba River and the Bay Delta: A Vital Connection for Salmon
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The Yuba River and the Bay Delta: A Vital Connection for Salmon

The Yuba River and the Bay Delta are connected by more than water. They are also linked by the migration of salmon, which depend on both habitats for their survival. These fish provide food, recreation, and cultural value for millions of Californians.  

The spring-run Chinook salmon’s life cycle is an extraordinary odyssey that begins and concludes in Central Valley streams such as the Yuba River. Once the most abundant run in California, Spring-run Chinook salmon are now listed as threatened on the federal and California state levels. This article will guide you through their life stages, spotlight key elements like temperature, nursery habitats, and water flow, as well as highlight their duration in various locales and the obstacles they encounter along the way.