News Release Archive

Federal Agencies Announce Final Schedule for Clear Creek Spring Pulse Flows

Media Contact: Russell Grimes, 916-978-5100, rwgrimes@usbr.gov

For Release: May 17, 2017

REDDING, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced today that two pulse flow releases from Whiskeytown Dam into Clear Creek will be made in June to attract adult spring-run Chinook salmon to upstream Clear Creek habitats for holding and spawning purposes.

Release of flows for the first pulse will begin on Saturday, June 3 and reach a peak of 700 cubic feet per second (cfs) on Monday, June 5. Release rates will be reduced to meet the summer base flow of approximately 150 cfs by Sunday, June 11. For the second pulse flow, releases will begin Saturday, June 17 and reach a peak at 800 cfs on Monday, June 19. Following the peak flow, releases will steadily decrease reaching a base flow of 150 cfs by Monday, June 26.

The public should take appropriate safety precautions when near or on Clear Creek during these pulse flows.

Water released as part of the pulse flows will remain within the Central Valley Project system and will be available for use downstream by Reclamation customers, including agricultural and municipal and industrial users in the Central Valley and Bay Area.

In 2009, NMFS issued the Biological and Conference Opinion on the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. Included in the Opinion is a reasonable and prudent alternative to conduct at least two pulse flows in Clear Creek in May and June. During these pulse flows, spring-run Chinook can access colder water temperatures, large holding pools and newly provided and clean spawning gravel, and avoid hybridization and competition with fall-run Chinook. USFWS monitoring has shown that pulse flows have been successful in attracting spring-run Chinook into Clear Creek. Salmon are counted during snorkel surveys immediately before and after each pulse flow. Salmon are also counted during the pulse flows using video cameras running 24 hours a day.

For more information, please contact Paul Zedonis, Reclamation, at 530-276-2046 (TTY 800-877-8339) or pzedonis@usbr.gov.

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