| "On the eve of a new century, and the dawn
of the next millennium, let us bring the steelhead back to their historic home." Jan Abel, Montecito Water District Board
Vice-President and President of the Cachuma Conservation Release Board.
 New
facilities provide a year-round source of cool water for fish. |
|
 More than 100 officials
gathered recently at a small but important local creek to celebrate the beginning of a
comprehensive effort to save the Central Coast's endangered steelhead trout.
Facilities to Help Save Endangered Steelhead Trout
The event marked completion of the first phase of the Santa
Ynez River Fish Management Plan, a long-range plan to save endangered steelhead trout
along the Santa Ynez River. The initial phase involves a piping system and other
improvements designed to provide a dependable, year-round source of cool water for the
fish.
|
Turning
the wheel to supply
habitat for endangered steelhead,
(l-r) David Young, U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation; Craig Fusaro,
California Trout; Maria Rea,
California Resources Agency;
Kirk Rodgers, Bureau of
Reclamation; U.S. Representative
Lois Capps; and MWD Vice-
President Jan Abel, also President, Cachuma Conservation Release
Board.More Work to
Come
In coming years, the Fish
Management Plan will
direct modifications
designed to improve fish
passage in the river and
creeks, install native plants, stabilize riverbanks, and
make other improvements.
Montecito Is a
Key Participant
Montecito Water District
and other local agencies
have participated in the
fish protection project for
many years, providing
water, funding and
technical expertise. The
success of the project is
due to the high level of
cooperation between
local agencies, landowners, environmental advocates
and state and federal
agencies.
|
Previous page
June 2000
