Large-Scale Salmon Enhancement Select a topic from the list below Mokelumne River Hatchery Merced River Hatchery Thermalito Afterbay Sacramento Winter Run Iron Gate Hatchery Fish Transport Trailers Net Pens Avila Beach Monterey Bay Rowdy Creek Hatchery, Smith River This small but productive DFG fish facility located at Snelling was taken under care of the Salmon Stamp Program through the strong support of Stamp Committee member Dave Danbom. A long series of improvements resulted at Merced, beginning with upgrades to an old spawner trap and continuing with construction of new raceways. Part of the raceway construction costs was paid from funds made available under an agreement between DFG and the Department of Water Resources to mitigate for salmon losses at the south Delta water diversion pumps operated by the state and federal governments. Merced River Hatchery is now a full production hatchery, in large part as a result of Salmon Stamp Program involvement. This facility helps maintain San Joaquin fall-run chinook salmon, and plays a particularly important role in insuring against loss of this salmon run during dry years when natural flows in the Merced River and the San Joaquin River below its confluence with the Merced are insufficient either for spawning or for survival of outmigrating smolts.