Stock Status of Steelhead

InCalifornia

Katie Perry,

California Department of Fish and Game

California steelhead ESUs

STEELHEAD ESU STATUS EFFECTIVE DATE

DRAFT BRT CONCLUSIONS UPDATED STATUS REVIEW

Southern California Endangered Oct. 17, 1997 In danger of extinction

South-Central California Coast

Threatened Oct. 17, 1997 Likely to become endangered

Central California Coast

Threatened Oct. 17, 1997 Likely to become endangered

Central Valley Threatened May 18, 1998 In danger of extinction

Northern California Threatened August 7, 2000 Likely to become endangered

Klamath Mountains Province

Not warranted

March 28, 2001 NA

Southern California ESU

This ESU extends from the Santa Maria River basin to the United States border with Mexico. The range was extended from Malibu Creek to the border in July 2002 after California Department of Fish and Game found steelhead in Topanga Creek (Los Angeles County) and San Mateo Creek (San Diego County).

Southern California ESU

Habitat restoration projects have been implemented on a number of the streams in this ESU. Most of these projects have restored access through removal or redesign of barriers and diversions. A major fish passage facility is being constructed on the Ventura River at Robles Diversion Dam.

This ESU extends from the Pajaro River basin in Monterey Bay south to, but not including, the Santa Maria River Basin near the town of Santa Maria. Updated adult steelhead counts for the Carmel River at San Clemente Dam are available from the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District Recent counts suggest that the abundance of adults has been increasing since the six year drought in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but the counts remain below 1,000 fish.

South-Central California Coast ESU

South-Central California Coast ESU

The main threats to stocks in this ESU include habitat blockages and habitat degradation from water management practices (e.g., dewatering stream channels, unregulated ground water withdrawal) and lagoon breaching

South-Central California Coast ESU

This ESU includes coastal basins from the Russian River in Sonoma County to Soquel Creek in Santa Cruz County. Also included are populations in the streams of San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. The ESU contains only winter steelhead.

Central California Coast ESU

Impacts to steelhead in this ESU include habitat blockages, urbanization, poor land use practices, habitat degradation, and dewatering due to irrigation and diversion. Habitat restoration efforts have been undertaken in many rivers and streams in this ESU.

Central California Coast ESU

This ESU occupies the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers and their tributaries. Historically steelhead were abundant and widespread throughout the Central Valley. Population estimates vary, but historically they may have approached 1 to 2 million adults annually. By the 1960s run size had dropped to about 40,000 adults.

Central Valley ESU

Counts of steelhead passing Red Bluff Diversion Dam (RBDD) have dropped from a high of almost 20,000 in 1968 to about 1,500 in 1993. Since 1993 the gates at RBDD have been raised to facilitate passage of winter-run Chinook salmon and counts for adults steelhead are no longer possible.

Central Valley ESU

Central Valley ESUFig. 2 Red Bluff Diversion Dam Steelhead Counts

(ended in 1993)

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Northern California ESU

ESU includes coastal basins from Humboldt County to Mendocino County. It includes summer and winter steelhead runs as well as a half-pounders. Time-series data of winter steelhead in the upper Eel River at Cape Horn Dam have declined from a maximum of 9,528 in 1944/45 to 102 in 2002/03 (combined wild and hatchery). Wild steelhead number less than 100

Northern California ESU Summer Steelhead Counts, Middle Fork Eel River

(1966 – 2003)

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Figure 1. Adult summer steelhead counts from 1966 to 2003, Middle Fork Eel River. Surveys were not conducted in 1969 and 1972.

Northern California ESU

The main threats to steelhead include poor forest practices, poor land use practices, and non-native Sacramento pike minnow predation, and high water temperatures.

Klamath Mountains Province ESU

This ESU encompasses steelhead from the Elk River in Oregon to the Klamath and Trinity Rivers in California.

In March 2001 NOAA Fisheries determined that this ESU did not warrant listing.

In September 2002 there was a massive fish kill on the Klamath River. Approximately 33,000 salmon and steelhead were killed; however, steelhead were a small percentage of the total (~650 to 1,500).