originally posted 31 October 09 at http://jeffersonfoodweb.ning.com While we were visiting, standing on a bridge over Big Springs Creek in the cold wind, we saw a handful of Chinook salmon – a welcome sight for the scientists who have been monitoring activity. Along the banks we saw dozens of yellow flags that indicate fish redds (nests) in the river. The restoration of Big Springs Creek and the Shasta River is an ongoing project, and while it was fun for us to see big Chinooks with their fins cutting the surface of the water, the TNC staff will be taking careful count to see how many Chinook return. The Nature Conservancy has called the Shasta River ranches “linchpin” properties in the effort to restore California’s salmon fishery. The Shasta is a tributary to the Klamath River, another big salmon habitat river (the 2nd largest in the state), and provides ideal spawning habitat (at least under ideal conditions). In the past, when riparian vegetation was prominent, the Shasta remained a cool 52 to 54 degrees F – just what salmon are adapted to. With the loss of stream side vegetation and the widening of river banks, which makes the river waters shallower, the river hasn’t been able to maintain those cool temps. Hopefully, the work on the Nelson and Shasta Big Springs Ranches will restore that important habitat, and create a haven for spawning salmon species.
Once again, our Sustainable Communities class took a wonderful field trip, this time to the Nelson and Shasta Big Springs ranches that were recently purchased by The Nature Conservancy. The 4,500-acre Shasta Big Springs Ranch, purchased this spring, has miles of the Shasta River and Big Springs Creek on it, and TNC has been taking steps to fence off the river to keep cattle from destroying the river banks. At the same time, continuing to operate a successful cattle ranch is a priority of the conservation organization, Chris Babcock, a TNC field scientist working on the ranch told our class. While there has been a focus to keep cattle out of the waterways, TNC’s ranch manager has been working to restore old irrigation systems so that the ranch can operate effectively. Keeping cattle out of the river allows the stream side plant life to thrive, creating shade that will help keep water temps low and stabilizing stream banks, which will help the river channel remain or return to a narrow channel.
an exploration of local food in far Northern California and Southern Oregon
