This area in the Northeastern corner of the state, around Mt. Shasta is sometimes called the "Golden Triangle" by anglers because of its many fish-filled watersheds. It is also home to the headwaters of the Sacramento River - perhaps the most important watershed in the state.

From the once-majestic Klamath River to the famous falls of the McCloud River, our Mt. Shasta office does critical work to protect some of California's richest fisheries. From fighting the establishment of major water bottling facilities to creek restoration to protecting the Sacramento River's headwaters, our work in this area preserves great angling and California's most critical waterway.

Mount Shasta Area Program Manager, Curtis Knight
PO Box 650
Mount Shasta, CA 96067
530-926-3755
caknight@jps.net

Project 1: Mt. Shasta Water Resources Project

Goal

• Protect the ecological and hydrological integrity of Mt. Shastas unique spring waters
• Achieve water balance and safe yield for McCloud River hydrologic system

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Objective 1. Achieve water balance, baseline studies for the McCloud and Squaw Valley Creek hydrologic systems by 2011
2. Objective 2. Improve Siskiyou County water management:
   1. Develop three spring water management plans with local municipalities (Weed, Mt. Shasta, Dunsmuir) that rely on spring water for town supply.
   2. Over next 2 years, develop data to inform Siskiyou County water management.
   3. By 2011, complete McCloud, Upper Sac, Lower Pit River Integrated Regional Water Management Plan

Project 2: Klamath Dam Removal Project

Goal

• Restore access to 300 of miles of historic salmon and steelhead rearing and spawning habitat above Iron Gate Dam on the Klamath River.
• Restore salmonid populations to 25% of historic levels (250,000 adult spawning salmon and steelhead).

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Objective 1. Increase Habitat
   1. By 2020 Remove 4 major obstructions (Iron Gate, Copco 1, Copco 2, JC Boyle) opening up over 300 miles of spawning and rearing habitat.
2. Objective 2. Improve Flows
   1. By 2015, Increase critical summer base flows below Iron Gate dam by 25%.

Project 3: Shasta River Restoration Project

Goal:

• Enhance anadromous fish runs in the Shasta River to a ten-year average of 10,000 returning adult fall-run Chinook, 2,000 adult coho, and 2,000 adult steelhead.

Conservation Objective(s):

1. Objective 1. Stream temperature. By 2012, reduce maximum average weekly temperatures and maximum peak summer temperature in Big Springs Creek and 5 miles of the Shasta River below the Big Springs Creek confluence.
   1. In priority reaches, reduce maximum average weekly temperatures by 3-5 c during critical summer months
   2. In priority reaches, reduce maximum peak summer temperature to no greater than 18 c during critical over-summering months for coho salmon.
2. Objective 2. Stream flows. Increase quality stream flow in priority reaches by 20 % by 2012.
   1. Parks Creek
   2. Little Shasta River
   3. Shasta River below Dwinnell dam
   4. Big Springs Creek

Project 4: Spring Creeks Restoration

Goal

• Protect and restore the unique spring creek attributes of Fall River and Hat Creek.

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Objective 1. Restore Hat Creek fishery to 1980s fish numbers
   1. Conduct needs assessmentidentify restoration actions
   2. Limit fine sediment inputs
   3. Reduce impacts of muskrats through control program
2. Objective 2. Restore Fall River
   1. Conduct needs assessmentwater quality, aquatic vegetation assessment with UC Davis
   2. Identify fine sediment inputs

Project 5: McCloud Dam Re-Licensing Project

Goal

• Protect and enhance hydrologic and ecological processes to sustain the long-term health of McCloud River rainbow trout.
• Determine feasibility of reintroduction of salmon, steelhead and bull trout to the McCloud River above Shasta and McCloud dams.

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Objective 1. Habitat protection and restoration
   1. Improve habitat complexity in priority reaches between McCloud Dam and Shasta Reservoir
2. Objective 2. Flows
   1. Reestablish natural flow regimen and other ecological processes below McCloud Dam

Project 6: Native McCloud River Redband Trout Project

Goal

• Protect the genetic integrity, abundance and natural habitat of native McCloud redband trout
  • Increase number of genetically pure redband trout in the McCloud Redband Refugium from 100-300 fish per mile to 200-600 fish per mile in priority streams by 2015

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Objective 1. Restore key habitat and ecological processes
   1. By 2010, increase habitat connectivity in the redband refugium by 25% or 2.5 miles
   2. By 2010, increase suitable low water habitat in the redband refugium by 25% or 1 mile
2. Objective 2. Protect genetic integrity
   1. By 2010, reduce significantly incidents of hybridization between native McCloud redband trout and domestic rainbow trout in priority stream reaches

Project 7: Prioritized Actions Contributing to Salmon and Steelhead Recovery in the Sacramento River Basin

Goal

• Develop a standardized ranking tool to identify and prioritize recovery actions for threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead across the Sacramento River Basin.

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Objective 1. Develop prioritization tool by June 2010 that will:
   1. Evaluate current status of target species
   2. Develop a list of recovery actions
   3. Rank actions based on ecological, social technical and cost benefits
2. Objective 2. Disseminate information
   1. Distribute the results of the ranking in SOS style format by June 2010.
3. Objective 3. Standardize the prioritization tool
   1. Develop a plan for using the prioritization tool in other venues and other regions.
   2. Develop marketing use plan for the tool.