Our Work

At an unprecedented level, federal and state governments are advancing special interests at the expense of the public trust. Today more than ever, non-profit organizations must be leaders in enacting and enforcing policies that empower practical alternatives to the depletion and pollution of rivers, streams, estuaries, and aquifers. The Opportunity That’s where the California Sportfishing…

Having fished and surveyed the Russian River watershed for many years, there have been occasions when I’ve observed spawning adult Chinook salmon, stumbled across a carcass, or accidentally hooked a “Jack” or “Jill,” a young maturing Chinook salmon. These observations were exciting. They are a reminder that a small and resilient population of fall-run Chinook…

Basking in the glow of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for the incredible strides made this year toward recovery of anadromous fisheries in the north state. Heightened returns of adult Chinook spawners to Battle Creek, to the Scott River, and to Klamath tributaries previously blocked by dams confirm that diligent efforts to improve fish passage and…

Example of substantial floodplain inundation on the lower Tuolumne River downstream of La Grange, taken March 27, 2019. Flow was 6,000 cfs at La Grange. Image: Chris Shutes  On November 5, 2025, Chris Shutes, Executive Director of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), made a presentation to the State Water Resources Control Board (Board) in…

Administrative Hearings Office Requires More Modeling for Proposed Sites Project and Delta Tunnel The Hearing Officer in the respective water rights hearings for the proposed Sites Reservoir Project and the proposed Delta Tunnel, who happens to be the same individual, has ordered more modeling in each proceeding.  The State Water Board’s Administrative Hearings Office (AHO)…

For decades, stream flows in the Shasta River dropped to a fraction of historical levels every summer, no matter how wet the water year type. Now, a new law, AB 263, which took effect in September 2025, requires that sufficient quantities of water remain instream. This ensures that coho salmon will be less likely to…

Fall-run Chinook salmon are currently migrating back to the Lower Mokelumne River to spawn. Many of these fish will be spawned in the Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery. But of those that spawn in the river, many will do so in reaches where there have been floodplain restoration efforts. Historical land use practices such as agriculture,…

Most people don’t know where their water comes from or how it gets to where they live. One water agency is working to change that. East Bay Municipal Utility District’s (EBMUD’s) headquarters in Oakland has become a base for water-focused education, with water district employees partnering with nonprofits and local schools to share information about…

A fall-run Chinook salmon travels up the fish ladder near California Department of Water Resources infrastructure in Oroville. Image: Andrew Nixon and the California Department of Water Resources A fish ladder is a structure in a natural or artificial waterway that allows fish to pass to a destination, like the ocean or spawning grounds. The…

In late August, I gave California Trout’s 2025 Eel River Pikeminnow Fishing Derby a shot. Sadly, I did not win the Derby. But I did come across a number of conditions that got me thinking about rearing juvenile salmonids. For starters, I caught and observed large Sacramento pikeminnow that appeared to be feeding very well…

The Hydropower Reform Coalition (HRC) has been advocating since the early 1990s for improved conditions in waters affected by hydroelectric projects. HRC advocacy has increased streamflows and made flow information public, achieved new and improved river access, and supported local communities where hydropower dams and other components of infrastructure are located. The California Sportfishing Protection…

The trailer bill legislation proposed by the Newsom Administration to fast-track approval and construction of a tunnel under the Bay-Delta estuary ended for the year when it did not come to the floor of either house in the state legislature by September 12. See earlier analysis here. This is a victory for people, wildlife, and…

California’s fall 2025 recreational ocean salmon fishery was a success, with 12,000 Chinook salmon taken by 12,400 anglers in four days of fishing. The weather conditions were excellent, which added to the high turnout. The fall harvest guideline of 7,500 Chinook salmon was reached between September 4 and 7. On September 17, National Marine Fisheries…

This September marks the first time in two years that there will be a fall ocean salmon recreational fishery. The fall ocean salmon fishery will take place from September 4 through September 7 in waters between Point Reyes and Point Sur, with a total harvest guideline of 7,500 Chinook salmon. Each angler can take a…

The Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) hearing continues this month, scheduled for September 2, 5, 11, 15, 18, 19, 22, 29 and 30. Hearing dates are also scheduled for October 1, 6, 9, 10, 14, & 15. Additional proposed, but not confirmed, hearing dates are September 23 and October 20, 23, 27, 28, and 29.  The…