Section 3406 (b)(1) 

Anadromous Fish Restoration 

Ramon Martin

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011

Photo: USBR Photo: USFWS
Background

• The Central Valley Project Improvement Act 

(CVPIA) was signed into law in 1992.

• The CVPIA directs the Secretary of the Interior to 

develop and implement a program that makes all 

reasonable efforts to double natural production of 

anadromous fish in Central Valley rivers and streams.

• The Final Restoration Plan (FRP) identified 289 

actions to be implemented by the Program that would 

help achieve the Act’s anadromous fish doubling goal. 

• The impacts of this programmatic-level Restoration 

Plan were analyzed in the CVPIA Programmatic 

Environmental Impact Statement and the Record of 

Decision was signed in 2001. 

• The FRP focused on 26 watersheds, Misc. creeks, 

westside tributaries, and the Delta. 

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
Introduction

(b)(1) Program Goal

• “implement a program which makes all reasonable efforts to ensure 

that, by the year 2002, natural production of anadromous fish in 

Central Valley rivers and streams will be sustainable, on a long 

term basis, at levels not less than twice the average levels attained 

during the period of 1967-1991(Section 3406(b)(1) of the CVPIA).”

• AFRP Chinook Salmon Natural Production Targets 

Central Valley 990,000 

Fall Run 750,000

Late-Fall Run 68,000

Spring Run 68,000

Winter Run 110,000

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011

Photo: EBMUD
Introduction

(b)(1) Program Goal

• AFRP Anadromous Fish Production Targets 

Steelhead 13,000 

Green sturgeon 1,966

White sturgeon 11,142

Striped Bass 2,500,000

American shad 4,300

• Additional information on AFRP production targets and estimates 

can be found in the 2010 CAMP Annual Report 

http://www.fws.gov/sacramento/camp/camp_documents_and_projects.htm

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
(b)(1) Objectives

• Improve habitat for all life stages of anadromous fish 

through provisions of flows of suitable quality, quantity, 

and timing, and improved physical habitat.

• Improve survival rates by reducing or eliminating 

entrainment of juveniles at diversions.

• Improve the opportunity for adult fish to reach their 

spawning habitats in a timely manner.

• Collect fish population, health, and habitat data to 

facilitate evaluation of restoration actions.

• Integrate habitat restoration efforts with harvest and 

hatchery management.

• Involve partners in the implementation and evaluation of 

restoration actions.

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
Chinook Salmon Production

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011

Goal = 990,000 (Final Restoration Plan)

1967-1991 Average

= 497,069

1992-2009 Average

= 427,749

Estimated number of all races of adult Chinook
Chinook Salmon Production

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011 -100 0 100 200 300 900 1000

Yuba River fall-run

Tuolumne River fall-run

Stanislaus River fall run

San Joaquin River fall run

Sacramento River winter run

Sacramento River spring run

Sacramento River late-fall run

Sacramento River fall run

Paynes Creek fall run

Mokelumne River fall run

Mill Creek spring run

Mill Creek fall run

Merced River fall run

Feather River fall run

Deer Creek spring run

Deer Creek fall run

Cow Creek fall run

Cottonwood Creek fall run

Cosumnes River fall run

Clear Creek fall run

Central Valley winter run

Central Valley spring run

Central Valley late-fall run

Central Valley fall run

Central Valley all races

Calaveras River winter run

Butte Creek spring run

Butte Creek fall run

Big Chico Creek fall run

Bear River fall run

Battle Creek late-fall run

Battle Creek fall run

Antelope Creek fall run

American River fall run • The percent of natural production 

during the doubling period (1992-2009) 

in relation to the baseline period (1967-

1991).

• The doubling goal for Chinook salmon 

production for the period of 1992-2009 

has been exceeded on Clear, Butte, 

and Battle creeks and has been nearly 

met on the Mokelumne River.

Chinook Salmon Natural Production: 

http://www.fws.gov/stockton/afrp/index.cfm
(b)(1) Program Status

AFRP CPAR Accomplishments

• Total of 128 High and Medium Priority Actions from 

the Final Restoration Plan.

• Of the 128 Actions, 75 are Non-structural Actions 

with Endpoints of which 25 (33%) have been 

completed to date. 

• Of the 128 Actions, 53 are Structural Actions with 

Endpoints of which 20 (38%) have been completed to 

date.

• Forty-five (35%) total AFRP time certain actions have 

been completed to date. 

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
(b)(1) Habitat Restoration

FY 2010 Accomplishments 

1. Yuba River Hammon Bar Restoration

• A pre-project assessment was completed for 3.5 miles of the 

lower Yuba River for riparian habitat restoration targeting juvenile 

Chinook salmon and steelhead (Evaluation 4).

2. American River Spawning and Rearing 

Habitat Restoration Project

• Environmental Compliance Documents and Permits were 

completed

• Restored a dewatered side-channel 1⁄4 mile long and enhanced an 

existing gravel bar with 5,000 yds3(Action 5).

3. Mokelumne River Spawning Habitat 

• Purchased and placed 4,166 yds3 of coarse sediment to improve 

natural production of Chinook salmon and steelhead at several 

spawning sites (Actions 2 and 7).

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
American River Spawning and Rearing Habitat Restoration Project
Mokelumne River Spawning Habitat Improvement Project
Mokelumne River Spawning Habitat Improvement Project
(b)(1) Habitat Restoration

FY 2010 Accomplishments (cont’d)

4. Merced River Ranch Floodplain Restoration 

• Environmental Compliance Documents and Permits were completed

• Added 12,000 yds3 of coarse sediment for spawning (Action 3)

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
(b)(1) Habitat Restoration

FY 2010 Accomplishments (cont’d)

5. Stanislaus River Floodplain Restoration

• Environmental Compliance Documents and Permits were initiated

• The Lancaster Road Project will restore 640 feet of riparian sidechannel habitat (Scheduled for 2011) for fall run Chinook and 

steelhead (Action 2).

• The Honolulu Bar Project will restore 2.5 acres of riparian 

floodplain, add 8,100 yds3 of spawning gravel, and restore 485 

feet of side-channel habitat (Scheduled for 2011) for fall run 

Chinook and steelhead (Action 2).

6. Tuolumne River Bobcat Flat

• Environmental Compliance Documents and Permits were 

completed 

• Phase 2 funds an ongoing project that will excavate 48,500 yds3 of 

gravel and restore up to 11 acres of floodplain and 1.6 miles of fall 

run Chinook salmon and steelhead spawning and rearing habitat 

(Action 2).

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
(b)(1) Fish Screens

FY 2010 Accomplishments 

1. Antelope Creek Juvenile Fish Passage 

Improvement Project at Edwards Diversion 

Dam (Action 1). 

• Feasibility study completed, environmental documents and 

permits initiated, and designs were developed.

2. Lower Butte Creek Project, Phase III 

Consolidated Action Summary Report was 

reviewed and finalized (Evaluations 6 and 8).

• Report posted at: 

http://www.fws.gov/stockton/afrp/index.cfm

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
(b)(1) Fish Passage

FY 2010 Accomplishments 

1. Antelope Creek Tehama Wildlife Area 

Road Crossing Project (Action 1)

• Construction designs completed and environmental compliance 

documents initiated.

• Once completed (≈2011) it will improve passage to 13 miles of 

spawning and holding habitat for spring run Chinook salmon.

• Addresses Action I.3.5 in NMFS OCAP BO

2. Big Chico Creek Iron Canyon Fish 

Ladder (Action 2)

• Environmental compliance documents and permits were 

completed in 2010. 

• This project will provide access to an estimated 8 miles of quality 

spring run Chinook salmon habitat

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
Antelope Creek Tehama Wildlife Area Road Crossing
(b)(1) Fish Passage

FY 2010 Accomplishments (cont’d)

3. Cottonwood Creek Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation 

District (ACID) Siphon Project (Action 2)

• Construction designs, environmental compliance documents, and 

permits were completed.

• Once completed (FY2011) it will improve passage to 30 miles of 

spawning habitat for fall Chinook, spring Chinook salmon and 

steelhead.

4. Cow Creek Millville Diversion Dam Fish Passage 

Project (Action 3)

• Environmental compliance documents and permits for a boulder 

weir fishway were initiated in 2010. 

• This project will provide access to an estimated 10 miles of fall 

run Chinook salmon and steelhead habitat.

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
(b)(1) Fish Passage

Cottonwood Creek ACID Siphon Fish Barrier
(b)(1) Fish Passage

FY 2010 Accomplishments (cont’d)

5. Calaveras River Passage Improvement Project (Action 3)

• Final designs and permits for the Budiselich Flashboard Dam 

boulder weir retrofit were completed. 

• Final designs for the Caprini

and California Traction Railroad 

crossings were also completed. 

• This project will restore access

to about 10 miles of habitat for 

salmon and steelhead.

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
(b)(1) Fish Passage

FY 2010 Accomplishments (cont’d)

6. Cosumnes River Passage Improvement Project (Evaluation 2)

• Restored access to 10 miles of habitat for fall run Chinook salmon

Rooney Dam (Before) Rooney Dam (After)
(b)(1) Monitoring

Habitat Restoration Monitoring

• project specific 

• evaluates restoration actions success (i.e. 

redd counts, snorkel surveys, 

environmental parameters, etc.)

Demonstration Projects

• showcases new technologies or 

methodology through evaluations studies

• short term (1 to 3 years) 

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
(b)(1) Monitoring

Monitoring Equipment 

• AFRP attempts to cost share operational costs of 

equipment or turn over monitoring to other agencies or 

groups via MOU or Letter of Agreements. We then 

utilize monitoring data to assist with program evaluation 

and identification of future restoration activity needs.

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
(b)(1) Monitoring

Fish Counting Video Weir

Acquire accurate escapement estimates of adult fall-run Chinook 

salmon on the Bear, Cottonwood, and Cow creeks

Bear, Cottonwood, and Cow Creeks Monitoring
(b)(1) Monitoring

Hydroacoustics DIDSON & DTx Systems

DIDSON & split-beam array

Underwater cameras

Weir panels

Overhead camera

Mill Creek Monitoring
(b)(1) Monitoring

VAKI Riverwatcher Fish Counting System

• Currently have two AFRP VAKI Fish Counting Systems 

being operated by CDFG at the Yuba River Daguerre Point 

Dam and a fish counting weir with a VAKI system in the 

Stanislaus River operated by Tri-Dam. 

Yuba River Daguerre Point Dam Monitoring Stanislaus River Fish Counting Weir 
(b)(1) Monitoring Results

Yuba River Monitoring 0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

jan feb mar apr may jun jul aug sep oct nov dec number of salmon

Minimum Number of Chinook Salmon Passage at Daguerre Point Dam

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010
(b)(1) Monitoring Results

Stanislaus River Monitoring
Juvenile Salmonid Monitoring

Stanislaus River RST Monitoring

• Objectives

– Estimate total juvenile production for:

• Fall Chinook Salmon

• Steelhead

– Evaluate annual reproductive success 

of salmonids

– Provide information to guide AFRP 

restoration efforts and evaluate 

program performance.

– Monitoring Requirement for the OCAP 

BO 
Stanislaus River Juvenile Salmonid Monitoring at Caswell RST
FY10 (b)(1) Monitoring Projects

• Identify sturgeon spawning habitat and use in 

the Feather and Yuba rivers with sonic telemetry 

(Evaluations 5 and 7).

• Identify sturgeon spawning habitat and use in 

the San Joaquin River system (Evaluation 4)

Photo: Jim Inman Photo: Cramer Fish Sciences

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
FY11 (b)(1) Performance Targets

• 7 Habitat Assessments encompassing over 39,060 acres 

of riparian habitat and 128 miles of stream

• 6 Population Assessments, Studies, and Evaluations

• Fund 8 Restoration Projects that will provide 178,000 

tons of spawning gravel, restore 379 acres of floodplain 

habitat and 10.4 stream miles 

• 1 Fish Passage Project that will restore access to 43 

miles of habitat

Total FY11 AFRP Funding $6.070 million

Structural Actions with Endpoints 4

Non-structural Actions with Endpoints 7

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011
Questions?

CVPIA Public Meeting February 17th, 2011

Photo: CDFG

Battle 

Creek 

Chinook 

salmon 

(65 lbs)