The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ranks winter-run Chinook as one of eight marine species most at risk of extinction. "Battle Creek has long been recognized as an ideal resource for cold water from snow melt," said Doug Killam, a senior environmental scientist with the state wildlife agency. The ongoing restoration project has removed one dam blocking access to the fish and will remove four more dams. Trying to keep cold-loving salmon by eeking out cold water from behind dams is becoming more complicated still as the climate changes, said Howard Brown of NOAA fisheries. "Salmon fishermen used to have good fishing right outside the Golden Gate in February years ago before winter run salmon were decimated," said John McManus, head of the Golden Gate Salmon Association.

Source: ABC News March 08, 2018 23:26 UTC