Habitat Restoration
Habitat Restoration Strategies
- Partner with the Fall River Resource Conservation District and other stakeholder groups to begin identifying priority restoration projects and sources of potential funding
Habitat Restoration Objectives
- Improve and protect water quality and quantity
- Sustain and improve aquatic and riparian (river bank) habitat
- Restore and improve stream channel and river bed
- Improve health and abundance of wild trout populations and other priority species
Background
Anecdotal evidence from around the Fall River Valley suggests that habitat conditions and trout populations in the Fall River continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate. Two to four feet of fine sediment (275,000 cubic yards) degrades much of the upper river bed, while invasive aquatic plants continue to spread throughout the lower portion of the river.
Numerous assumptions exist about the various factors limiting wild trout populations and healthy habitat in the Fall River. Unfortunately, the bulk of existing literature dates back almost ten years (Fall River Resource Conservation District, 2002) (Tetra Tech Inc, 1998) (Department of Water Resources, 1998).
The absence of updated research, data, and assessment make it difficult to assess current conditions, and prioritize limiting factors, or design effective short-term conservation projects.
Consequently, FRC will work with UC Davis, USDA, California Trout, the Fall River Resource Conservation District, the Department of Fish and Game, the State Water Board, and other partner organizations to identify priority threats, design viable restoration projects, and begin identifying funding sources.