Headwaters Rescue Rearing

Rescue Rearing is an emergency evacuation plan for salmon.  During years when low water flows cause some parts of the upper river to dry up, fish can be stranded in pools cut off from the rest of the river (see below).  The water quality in these pools quickly deteriorates and fish begin to die.  The MSG monitors the water quality in these areas, and in the event that the endangered salmon cannot survive they would be moved to improved habitat.  When the water flows rise and the river can once again support the fish, they would be released.

The Mattole Salmon Group monitors water quality in the headwaters along with juvenile abundance surveys to determine if a rescue effort is necessary.  Water temperature and dissolved oxygen levels are the most important indicators of habitat quality.  Artificial rearing increases the health of juvenile fish, increasing their odds of survival upon release.

This program is currently in the planning and permitting stages.