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Here in Sweden we have major issues with hydroelectric power preventing salmons from reaching their spawning areas. Some rivers have limited or event stopped fi

by belorn 4y ago

Here in Sweden we have major issues with hydroelectric power preventing salmons from reaching their spawning areas. Some rivers have limited or event stopped fishing because there just aren't enough that survive the trip past the power stations (that assuming there is a path past them for the fish to use). Is there similar issues in California?

8bitsrule 4y ago
belorn, this has long been a big problem in all of the US west. This article starts with a good, quick history of that problem. https://pcffa.org/dams-and-salmon/ https://pcffa.org/dams-and-salmon/ Here's another about the problem with Columbia River (Washington) dams. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/09/salmon-future-us-dams https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/09/salmon-f...
stevenwoo 4y ago
Yes, it's been on the brink for a while with both hydroelectric and flood control dams and usage for agricultural irrigation of deserts reducing water flow. Many of the California Chinook salmon mentioned spawn on the Sacramento River.
kposehn 4y ago
Unfortunately yes, and even more so in Oregon/Washington. We need hydro power, but most all of the dams are on important watersheds.
hinkley 4y ago
Northern California and Oregon have removed some dams because of this problems, but there are particular fish for whom it's still a big problem. As you can imagine with a fish that returns to the same streams, and a large river system, you can have some tributaries that are fully accessible, some that are slightly accessible, and some that aren't accessible at all.
esel2k 4y ago
We have a similar issue here in Switzerland (a river that ends in the ocean in northern Germany) were salmon disappeared 50years ago. Too many gates, hydroelectric plants etc. Apparently they saw the first salmon coming back after 50 years: https://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/fish-story-first-salmon-caught-in-basel-in-50-years-a-583127.html https://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/fish-story-fi... As a child I heard that story about bringing the salmons back. That it took 50 years and not yet a success is somehow very disappointing and I wonder if other countries will afford such ling-term restoration projects.

by belorn 4y ago

8bitsrule 4y ago

belorn, this has long been a big problem in all of the US west. This article starts with a good, quick history of that problem. https://pcffa.org/dams-and-salmon/ https://pcffa.org/dams-and-salmon/ Here's another about the problem with Columbia River (Washington) dams. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/09/salmon-future-us-dams https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/09/salmon-f...

stevenwoo 4y ago

Yes, it's been on the brink for a while with both hydroelectric and flood control dams and usage for agricultural irrigation of deserts reducing water flow. Many of the California Chinook salmon mentioned spawn on the Sacramento River.

kposehn 4y ago

Unfortunately yes, and even more so in Oregon/Washington. We need hydro power, but most all of the dams are on important watersheds.

hinkley 4y ago

Northern California and Oregon have removed some dams because of this problems, but there are particular fish for whom it's still a big problem. As you can imagine with a fish that returns to the same streams, and a large river system, you can have some tributaries that are fully accessible, some that are slightly accessible, and some that aren't accessible at all.

esel2k 4y ago

We have a similar issue here in Switzerland (a river that ends in the ocean in northern Germany) were salmon disappeared 50years ago. Too many gates, hydroelectric plants etc. Apparently they saw the first salmon coming back after 50 years: https://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/fish-story-first-salmon-caught-in-basel-in-50-years-a-583127.html https://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/fish-story-fi... As a child I heard that story about bringing the salmons back. That it took 50 years and not yet a success is somehow very disappointing and I wonder if other countries will afford such ling-term restoration projects.