Conservation Conversation

Conservation onversation

With Julie Ruth Haselden

Letter from Senator Diane Feinstein

Recently, Conservation Chair Julie Haselden wrote to Senator Diane Feinstein’s office regarding proposals to undermine environmental protections. Julie received this response and has shared it with us here at the Irideus. Thanks for speaking out for us Julie! I received a response from United States Senator Dianne Feinstein regarding a letter sent on behalf of GPFF. In part, the letter says: “Thank you for writing to share your environmental priorities. Your correspondence informs my work in the Senate… Many Californians have expressed their concerns to me regarding proposals… that could undermine environmental protections or direct federal agencies to ignore well-settled science.” It is gratifying that our voices and concerns have been heard.

ACWD (Alameda County Water District) Virtual Tour of Fish Passage Improvements

On 10/21/2020 ACWD offered an informative virtual tour of three fish passage improvement projects on Alameda Creek. 257 Zoom attendees learned about the $80 million

developments. The Alameda Creek watershed covers an area of 633 square miles and once supported a steelhead trout fishery. In an effort to restore steelhead trout, salmon and other migratory fish to Alameda Creek, ACWD and a number of Bay Area agencies have worked for more than a decade to make the creek a more fish-friendly waterway. To improve fish passage through the Alameda Creek Flood Control Channel, ACWD’s fish passage projects at its water supply facilities include: the removal of one rubber dam; construction of fish ladders at two rubber dams; and the installation of fishscreens at off-stream diversions. The state-of-the-art fishscreens prevent even fry from being killed or damaged at water diversion and ground water recharge stations.

Alameda Creek

GPFF has been a member of the Alameda Creek Alliance and will announce volunteer work party opportunities when Covid-19 guidelines allow.

To access a video of the ACWD virtual tour:

Here are couple of interesting recommendations of things to watch from Dr. Mark Rockwell, D.C. President & VP Conservation, Northern Calif. Council,Fly Fishers International:

“Hi Everyone, Below I have a special treat for you - a chance to watch & participate in a great presentation on the protection of some of our great western rivers - several in California. I’ve watched this before and it is very well done. Jim Cox is our host. Just follow the directions below to participate on November 17th, at 5:30 p.m.” Register for this presentation: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_K7VLKyBnQsO5B18rPDvDxg

and

8/31/2020 “Hi all, and we’re moving into steelhead season, my favorite. Thought you might find this 10 min video on tactics with dry flies on the Rogue interesting. Summer fish are moving into the Rogue and Klamath as I type, so I hope this is helpful if you go. Steelhead on dries are great fun.” https://www.ashlandflyshop.com/blogs/ spey-fishing-videos/dry-fly-tactics-forsteelhead-w-stuart-warren

Fly fishing on the Rogue River