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50-762: The reservoir is fed mainly by Arroyo Hondo and Calaveras Creek . Lying in the Calaveras Valley , the region is geologically active with the Calaveras Fault parallel to and to the west of the dam site. The seismic hazard forced replacement of the original dam. The replacement dam began construction in 2011 and was completed in 2019. The Calaveras Valley has diverse wildlife including deer , coyotes , squirrels, turkey vultures , red-winged blackbirds , yellow-billed magpies , red-tailed hawks , brewer's blackbirds , purple martins , barn swallows , bullock's orioles , and warblers . Since at least 2008,

100-591: A 2016 an action plan implementation progress report stated the population is "maintained" showing no significant upward or downward trend in the yearly number of returning adults in a experimental small tributary to the Deschutes River. However, fish counts at Boneville Dam, on the Columbia River below the Deschutes confluence have shown a 10 year (2013–2022) average of 162,988 returning adults, and

150-621: A 25% increase in salmon and steelhead production was 20%" (NOAA). As it stands, "more than 20% of floodplain and in-channel habitat has been restored due to FRGP" (NOAA). Though these initiatives spell hope for the prospects of Steelhead Trout population rehabilitation, habitat degradation continues to occur at an alarming rate. Within the state of Oregon there are four different distinct steelhead population segments: Lower Columbia River steelhead, Middle Columbia River steelhead, Oregon Coast steelhead, and Upper Willamette River Steelhead (NOAA). Of these four segments, three are listed as threatened under

200-422: A chemical indicator, steelhead "use the position of the sun and magnetic north to navigate towards spawning grounds " after they have fed in the open ocean for 1–4 whole years (Fulton). Even after traveling hundreds of miles, this chemical imprint allows steelhead to identify their precise hatching grounds upon returning to freshwater. According to "A review of the characteristics, habitat requirements, and ecology of

250-518: A normal rainbow trout. The longer a steelhead spends in freshwater, the darker their green body colorations and horizontal pink stripe become. When a steelhead exits the river and returns to the ocean again, it regains its silvery appearance while in saltwater. The fish develop a larger and stronger tail relative to a normal rainbow trout to help aid in swimming in ocean currents and swimming up strong river currents. A number of distinct population segments of steelhead are endangered or threatened across

300-585: A pair of bald eagles has nested regularly. In the 19th century, the Calaveras Valley which the reservoir now fills was primarily an agricultural region known for its production of hay , strawberries , and tomatoes. Because of San Francisco's increasing demand for drinking water at the turn of the 20th century, the farmers in the region were forced to sell their land to the Spring Valley Water Company , which in turn sold it to

350-603: A recent sighting of the Steelhead Trout has not occurred in years, and biologists fear the worst. In 2002, the endangered species label was extended from the Malibu Creek down to the border of San Diego and Mexico (California Trout). A threatened species since 2000, the Northern California steelhead represents a beacon of hope for continued rehabilitation initiatives and growing population numbers in

400-423: A result of such biologically accurate homing characteristics, the Steelhead Trout is "uniquely adapted to its environment"; fish populations "are reasonably isolated from fish that spawn in different areas," and therefore "sub-populations may differ by the timing of runs, size of fish, and even behavior patterns" (Heath, 2001). This also influences genetic relatedness between Steelhead Trout populations; interestingly,

450-484: A steel beam are attributed as the main defining physical characteristic for which the Steelhead is distinguished and earns its namesake. The Steelhead is an ocean-going predatory fish with a typical lifespan of four to six years. Like the common rainbow trout, Steelhead predominantly feast on zooplankton when they are young and then transition to eating fish, some rodents, mollusks, and crustaceans. When these fish enter

500-644: A wider distribution of this species across the Pacific Northwest, including the coastal regions of California. In fact, "coastal rainbow trout is the most widely-distributed native trout form" (CA.gov). Among other necessary biological utilities fulfilled by this species, Steelhead Trout "are also strong indicators of the condition of California's streams; large self-sustaining populations of native salmon and trout are found where streams are in reasonably good condition" (Moyle, Israel, & Purdy, 2008). A chrome underside and olive-grey back reminiscent to that of

550-665: Is a northwestward-flowing 13-mile-long (20.9 km) river in Santa Clara County, California , United States, that lies east of Milpitas . The area is privately owned by the San Francisco Water Department and is closed to public access because of its usage as drinking water. Bounded to the east by Oak Ridge and to the west by Poverty Ridge , Arroyo Hondo empties into the Calaveras Reservoir where it joins Calaveras Creek . It

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600-594: Is considered a threatened species, and according to Mark Capelli of the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Southern California steelhead are the most endangered of them all (California Trout). According to California Trout, Steelhead Trout populations began to decline in the "late-1940s due mainly to man-made landscape modifications" (California Trout). As a result of damming for flood control, steelhead migration routes from

650-412: Is formed by the confluence of Isabel Creek and Smith Creek at the northern tip of Joseph D. Grant County Park at an elevation of 1,585 feet (483 m) above sea level. It flows northerly to its confluence with Calaveras Reservoir at an elevation of 765 feet (233 m). Isabel Creek begins at about 2,600 feet (790 m), about one mile (1.6 km) south of Mt. Helen, then flows north through

700-603: Is formed by the confluence of Smith Creek and Isabel Creek which drain the west and east slopes of Mount Hamilton , respectively. Arroyo Hondo means "deep creek" in Spanish . Its Isabel Creek tributary is significant in that the Spanish name for Mt. Hamilton was the Sierra de Santa Isabel , and the highest point was then referred to as Mount Isabel instead of Mount Hamilton. When William Henry Brewer and Charles Hoffman of

750-498: Is prohibited. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) owns 36,000 acres (150 km) in the Alameda Creek Watershed. Some lands in the watershed are leased to livestock companies for cattle ranching to control vegetation and prevent fires. Most of the land is closed to the public because of concerns over drinking water safety and quality. The dam site has an active earthquake fault nearby, and

800-399: Is silvery and streamlined with a rounder head. This silver color and round head is what gives the steelhead its name. There are black dots that are more concentrated on the back of the fish and become sparser closer to the lateral line of the fish. Steelhead also develop a pink horizontal stripe. When steelhead return to freshwater to spawn, their color begins to more closely resemble that of

850-531: The Au Sable River . "Wild" populations of these fish started to become established shortly after their introduction into the lakes. By the late 80s populations could be found in notable rivers like the Muskegon and Pere Marquette . Sometime after their first introduction into Michigan tributaries other states, such as New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, started stocking fish into their own streams. Due to

900-577: The Pacific basin in Northeast Asia and North America . Like other sea-run (anadromous) trout and salmon , steelhead spawn in freshwater, smolts migrate to the ocean to forage for several years and adults return to their natal streams to spawn. Steelhead are iteroparous , although survival is only approximately 10–20%. The freshwater form of the steelhead is the rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ). The difference between these forms of

950-493: The San Francisco Water Company . The first dam on the site, built in 1913 by the Spring Valley Water Company , rapidly changed the sensitive hydrology and natural environment of the Calaveras Valley. That dam suffered a collapse of the upstream slope in 1918 due to design and material flaws. Its replacement, which stood until 2019, was the largest earth-fill dam in the world when completed in 1925. It

1000-475: The United States , mostly caused by the blocking of waterways by the construction of dams . Human interaction has had considerable consequences on reducing the population of steelhead trout. Steelhead currently support or have historically supported fisheries across Northern California, and thus they hold "economic as well as cultural value" (Moyle, Israel, & Purdy, 2008). Contrary to popular belief,

1050-513: The Whitney Survey climbed the peak on August 26, 1861, they did not know it had a name, and christened it Mt. Hamilton, although they did correctly place Isabel Valley on their map to the east. When in 1895, the USGS realized that the peak two miles (3.2 km) southeast of Mt. Hamilton was as tall (4,193 feet; 1,278 m), they correctly named it Mt. Isabel. The Arroyo Hondo mainstem

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1100-541: The Anadromous Steelhead Trout" by Fulton, "homing creates genetically different subpopulations that differ by basin, stream, and even location within a stream" (Altukhov 2000). According to a study conducted by Heath & Pollard, "significant genetic variation on the individual, tributary, and watershed level occur between Steelhead Trout populations" as a result of this chemical reliance for breeding practices (Heath, 2001). The author concludes that as

1150-561: The California Steelhead is a coastal variation of the same species of fish as the Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss ; "rainbow trout are the 'landlocked' version, and remain in freshwater throughout their life" (King County, 2016) . An ocean-going variety, the Steelhead, or Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus has developed unique adaptive characteristics that distinguish this fish from its common counterpart and have allowed

1200-1032: The Endangered Species Act. The Middle Columbia River (MCR) segment has remained the focus of recent recovery efforts. The MCR segment covers approximately 3,500 square miles of the Columbia Plateau in eastern Oregon and Washington. Within eastern Oregon, recovery efforts focus on the two main tributaries to the Columbia River: The Deschutes River and the John Day River, although the Umatilla and Walla Walla are also included in recovery plans. Primary threats to MCR steelhead populations include hydrosystem operations, habitat alteration, and effects of stray naturally spawning hatchery fish. MCR steelhead were first listed as threatened on March 25, 1999, following

1250-648: The Isabel Valley, then east and north of Mt. Isabel and Mt. Hamilton until it is joined by Smith Creek. Arroyo Hondo joins Calaveras Creek in Calaveras Reservoir . Calaveras Creek is, in turn, tributary to Alameda Creek in Alameda County and ultimately flows into San Francisco Bay . Arroyo Hondo still has remnants of native coastal rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus ), which several conservation organizations have attempted to protect. Impassable falls are now present on upper Arroyo Hondo, but

1300-505: The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission constructed a replacement dam located 1,000 ft (300 m) downstream from the original 1925 dam. The dam replacement took twice as long (eight years instead of four years) and cost twice as much as originally scheduled. Hazardous geological conditions were discovered near the proposed west abutment in 2012 and near the proposed spillway. The dam site

1350-680: The Upper Deschutes, Crooked, and Metolius rivers, three major tributaries to the Deschutes within the MCR watershed. In addition to Round Butte, several other dams restrict fish from their native spawning grounds within the Deschutes watershed including Pelton Dam, Bowman Dam, and Ochoco Dam. The first MCR Distinct Population Segment ESA Recovery Plan was released on November 30, 1999. Between 2010 and 2016 1,715 different entities have implemented 1,559 tributary restoration projects primarily focused on habitat restoration and fish passage improvement. In

1400-927: The area. As of 2016, 48,892 Steelhead Trout were reportedly caught (NOAA). Such a population count suggests that this fascinating fish species continue to persevere in Northern California waters. However, to ensure the continued rehabilitation of steelhead populations in Northern California, a positive, directive plan of action for steelhead conservation must occur. According to NOAA, The State of California Fisheries Restoration Grant Program (FRGP) "invested over 250 million dollars and supported approximately 3,500 salmonid restoration projects" (NOAA). Investments in projects improving "fish passage, water quality, instream habitat restoration, watershed monitoring, and education and organizational support" all occupy conservation efforts to improve Northern California steelhead populations (NOAA). According to NOAA, "the percentage of floodplain and in-channel habitat that would need to be restored to detect

1450-431: The author found that the genetic similarity of regional Steelhead trout populations "is correlated with distance" (Heath, 2001). During spawning , the fish will lay their eggs on gravel bottoms of freshwater tributaries. The female digs out a hole called a redd. The preferred depth for steelhead spawning is 6 to 14 inches (150 to 360 mm). She then lays the eggs, and a male fertilizes them. The females will then cover

1500-531: The coast to upstream spawning grounds were increasingly blocked over time (California Trout). Furthermore, largely a result of continued urbanization and to satisfy the needs of human populations in the area, river flows became modified for recreational purposes and a substantial diversion of water occurred over time (California Trout). As a result of widespread habitat loss and fragmentation, Southern California Steelhead populations were officially labeled as an endangered species in 1997 (California Trout). In some areas,

1550-463: The construction of Round Butte Dam at the confluence of the Deschutes and Metolius rivers. The construction of the dam created reverse currents (currents flowing upstream) in the Metolius Arm of Lake Billy Chinook (a reservoir created by the formation of the dam) confusing anadromous smolts and preventing them from navigating seaward. The construction of Round Butte Dam impeded steelhead access to

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1600-634: The creek remains uncertain as is true of most of their former sites in the central coast. Foothill yellow-legged frogs ( Rana boylei ) and California red-legged frogs ( Rana draytoni ) are present in Upper Alameda, Arroyo Hondo, Smith, and Isabel creeks. Steelhead trout Steelhead , or occasionally steelhead trout , is the anadromous form of the coastal rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus ) or Columbia River redband trout ( O. m. gairdneri , also called redband steelhead ). Steelhead are native to cold-water tributaries of

1650-458: The dam was re-built in 2018. The steady flow releases, and accompanying lowered water temperatures, resulted in a sharp increase in the numbers of trout. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a drought affected California, and water levels in reservoirs throughout the state became extraordinarily low. By January 1991, the water at the reservoir was down 100 feet (30 m), and the aluminum body of an airplane became visible. Two skeletons were found at

1700-532: The eggs with the gravel. Depending on the size of the female she may lay up to 9,000 eggs. The female then buries the eggs in a foot of gravel. The eggs remain in the gravel until they hatch. Unlike salmon (which can spawn only once) steelhead may return to the ocean, and come back upstream several times for spawning season. Steelhead found in the Great Lakes are the freshwater variation of steelhead found in saltwater. Similar to native populations of steelhead on

1750-521: The fish spend more time in the tributaries they darken in coloration while developing a bright red stripe down their midline. While in the lakes they feed on alewives , smelt , and lake herring amongst other things. The first introduction of steelhead into the Great Lakes dates back to 1876 where smolts were taken from wild populations from the McCloud River in California and placed into

1800-426: The most interesting and perplexing characteristic of the Steelhead Trout is its homing behavior and the capacity of this species to accurately detect its primary spawning grounds despite venturing to the open ocean and returning to the same freshwater source on numerous occasions throughout their lives. By recording the concentrations of solutes and the chemical profile of a stream through the biological characteristic of

1850-447: The open ocean, however, their diet typically consists of squid, crustaceans, and small fish including anchovies, herring, and sardines, though the capacity at which this dietary intake occurs is highly contingent upon the geographical region where Steelhead choose to migrate (Salmon Fishing Now). "Rainbow trout and steelhead represent two divergent ecotypes that are genetically identical but separated by life history strategies" (Heath 2001);

1900-470: The original 1925 dam was seismically vulnerable. If the dam had collapsed when full, it would have flooded parts of Fremont, California with a wall of water 30 ft (9.1 m) high. Dam regulators for the state of California restricted the capacity of the original dam in 2001, to mitigate the seismic threat. The capacity of the original dam was limited to about one-third of the nominal 100,000 acre-feet (120 million cubic meters). To restore lost capacity,

1950-428: The project by another year. As of 2017, the completion had been pushed back to spring or summer 2019, and the cost had risen to $ 810 million. The design of the replacement dam allows for future capacity expansion, and the core is wider than needed initially. The design allows the height to be raised by 150 ft (46 m), to quadruple the initial capacity of 100,000 acre⋅ft (120,000,000 m). On completion of

2000-852: The rainbow trout in its Smith and Isabel creek tributaries are assumed to be native, as California roach ( Hesperoleucus symmetricus ) and Sacramento sucker ( Catostomus occidentalis occidentalis ) are also present above and below the falls. The California Academy of Sciences collected a steelhead trout specimen in 1898 on Isabel Creek. Also, both Smith Creek and Arroyo Hondo were recorded in 1905 by John Otterbein Snyder as anadromous steelhead trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus ) streams. Speckled dace ( Rhinichthys osculus ) were collected by John Otterbein Snyder in 1898 in Arroyo Hondo and Isabel creeks, but not by Scoppettone and Smith in 1978, or by Leidy and Bronwen in 2013, and their status in

2050-515: The replacement dam to improve summer flows. A smaller fish ladder is under construction at a separate diversion dam on upper Alameda Creek, regarded as prime trout habitat. Facing legal challenges to release flows to support steelhead trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) in the 20 miles (32 km) of Calaveras Creek below the dam, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) began steady releases after

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2100-553: The replacement dam, a third of the old dam was removed to allow the reservoir to be impounded by the new dam instead. The construction project allocated funds to restore populations of native fish in other parts of the watershed. A ladder for Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at the dam itself was deemed infeasible. At 290 feet (88 m), it would have been the tallest fish ladder in the US and would have cost $ 40 million. The SFPUC did assure environmental groups that it will release water from

2150-568: The river landscape for recreation and access to water. It is estimated that only 500 steelhead trout return to the Southern California watersheds. However, in other areas of the United States, steelhead can be seen as pests because they are an invasive species to the environment. While numbers are improving in areas of the Pacific Northwest where Steelhead Trout have typically thrived, the California Steelhead Trout

2200-418: The site on January 5, 1991. Dental records and the plane's serial number were used to positively identify the remains as Clifford Gillman and his single-engine Ercoupe , along with Gillman's friend Robert Louviere. They had been missing since June 16, 1963. The wreck, minus the two men's remains, is still lying in the center of the reservoir. Arroyo Hondo (Santa Clara County, California) Arroyo Hondo

2250-409: The species is that steelhead migrate to the ocean and return to freshwater tributaries to spawn, whereas non-anadromous rainbow trout do not leave freshwater. Steelhead are also larger and less colorful than rainbow trout. Steelhead can weigh up to 55 lb (25 kg) and reach 45 in (110 cm) in length. They can live up to 11 years and spawn multiple times. The body of the steelhead trout

2300-402: The steelhead's large size and powerful demeanor, they've become very attractive amongst the angler community in the Great Lakes area. There have been several conservation programs created since the near extinction of the steelhead in the 1940s. The reduction in population is mainly due to manmade obstructions within river systems. This is usually caused by dams blocking access, or humans changing

2350-450: The unique biological diversity of the Steelhead Trout from that of the Rainbow Trout is determined through a capacity to migrate to the open ocean. Homing behavior is a unique adaptation of Steelhead Trout that allows the fish to migrate to and from freshwater and saltwater bodies on multiple occasions. Through the process of imprinting, Steelhead Trout deposit a chemical indicator "that is specific to their natal stream" (NRC 1996). Perhaps

2400-595: The west coast, Great Lakes steelhead start in tributaries to larger bodies of water, in this case the Great Lakes, where they travel to, to grow to large proportions and reach sexual maturity before returning to the tributaries they started in. Great Lakes steelhead grow to as large as 20 pounds and 36–40 inches but normally average 4–10 pounds and between 20–30 inches. They share very similar characteristics to an ocean-run steelhead as far as their long, slender build and silvery coloration with spots running along their back that very rarely progress beyond their lateral line . As

2450-420: Was 245 feet high, with a length of 1200 feet at its crest. The city and county of San Francisco owns and operates the dam and reservoir for municipal water supply. Due to concerns about its seismic rating, the 1925 dam was replaced by a new dam constructed just downstream from 2014 to 2019. The reservoir is reported to contain a large population of largemouth bass, rainbow trout and other species. However, fishing

2500-423: Was weakened by at least two ancient landslides. When construction started in 2011, the budget was $ 420 million, and completion was expected in 2015. The seismic redesign required three million additional cubic yards (two million cubic meters) of excavation, far more than the original seven million cubic yards (five million cubic meters). The spillway had to be relocated away from one of the ancient landslides, delaying

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