Sacramento River Temperature Task Group

The Sacramento River Temperature Task Group (SRTTG) is a multiagency group formed pursuant to State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Water Rights Orders 90-5 and 91-1, to assist with improving and stabilizing Chinook populations in the Sacramento River. Annually, Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) develops a temperature operation plan for the Shasta division of the Central Valley Project (CVP). This plan considers impacts on winter-run and other populations of Chinook salmon, and associated project operations. The SRTTG meets initially in the spring to discuss biological, hydrologic, and operational information, objectives, and alternative operations plans for temperature control. Once the SRTTG has recommended an operation plan for temperature control, Reclamation then submits a draft report to the SWRCB, by the end of April. A final temperature management plan is expected by May 20th of each year.

After implementation of the operation plan, the SRTTG may perform additional studies and commonly holds meetings as needed through the summer and into fall to develop revisions based on updated biological data, reservoir temperature profiles and operations data. Updated plans may be needed for summer operations protecting winter-run Chinook salmon, or in fall for fall-run Chinook salmon spawning season. If there are any changes in the plan, Reclamation submits a supplemental report to SWRCB.

Meeting and Update Information

Upper Sacramento River Scheduling Team

The Upper Sacramento River Scheduling Team (USST) is a sub-team of SRTTG that meets to efficiently manage Upper Sacramento River releases from Keswick Dam to minimize collective risks. In the fall, USST meets to coordinate flow reductions to reduce stranding of winter-run Chinook salmon redds. In the spring, the USST meets to coordinate implementation of the spring pulse flow experiments to improve survival of juvenile fall-run and spring-run Chinook salmon. Operational actions are sensitive to storage conservation, winter run risk, fall run risk, and downstream demands.  The team:

  1. Agrees on next steps and key information needed to inform the preferred flow alternative;
  2. Collaboratively develops flow reduction alternatives that enjoy broad support from USST members; and
  3. Develops a shared understanding of interests and external conditions for fall flow scheduling.

USST Meeting Notes

Member Agencies

  • National Marine Fisheries Service
  • U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • California Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • State Water Resource Control Board
  • Hoopa Valley Tribe
  • Yurok Tribe
  • Western Area Power Administration
  • Sacramento River Settlement Contractors

 

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Last Updated: 9/25/24