Habitat Restoration Page 1  2  3  4  5 Support of DFG Fish Habitat Improvement Shops DFG habitat shops implement fish habitat restoration and improvement projects throughout the state. Currently four facilities exist: the Yreka shop in the Klamath River drainage; the Red Bluff shop in the upper Sacramento River drainage; the Elk Grove shop in the lower Sacramento River drainage; and the San Joaquin shop, the newest, located on the Tuolumne River in the San Joaquin River drainage, near LaGrange. Part of the work undertaken by shop crews includes building and maintaining a plethora of fish screens throughout California. These screens prevent fish from entering and becoming entrapped by water diversions. Without these screens many millions of juvenile salmon would never have a chance of reaching the ocean. The habitat shops contribution to salmon resources goes generally unrecognized by the public. Since their personnel are "can-do" people who would prefer to be out in the field fixing a habitat problem rather than putting on a press conference, the shops do not always get the official attention and funding they deserve. The Stamp Committee has long recognized the contribution of DFG fish habitat improvement shops to salmon recovery by consistently funding habitat restoration and screening projects undertaken by habitat shop crews throughout the range of salmon in California. Recognition also came through funding support for construction of badly needed new facilities to house habitat restoration staff. At both the Yreka and Red Bluff shops, Salmon Stamp funds provided a substantial portion of the required state match for federal dollars used in constructing new shop facilities. Most recently, the Salmon Stamp Program provided $200,000 which represents the bulk of the construction costs of the newest fish habitat improvement shop on the Tuolumne River. Recognizing the need to support the DFG habitat improvement shops, the Stamp Committee bought a new John Deere tractor-backhoe and a 10-wheel dump truck for the Red Bluff and Yreka shops, along with many much needed power tools and other smaller items of equipment. Large investments such as this can only be considered and justified to fishermen when fishing has been good and the Stamp Account balance is relatively high. The Salmon Stamp Program has funded several badly needed fish screens when no other funds were available to do the job. Screens and ladders are essential to keep young salmon out of water diversions and help adults get past them, and since the structures suffer damage and eventually wear out, the Salmon Stamp Program has also funded the repair, upgrading, and replacement of damaged or worn out fish screens and ladders. Page 1  2  3  4  5