The California Conservation Corps and Department of Fish and Game have been working in partnership with private and public landowners to enhance and restore California's salmon and steelhead habitat since 1980. Founded and built on hard work, high quality scientific practices and community needs, the Salmon Restoration Program is the largest restoration program of its kind in the country.

As one newspaper headline described the program, "CCC Gives Fish a Fighting Chance."

In 1992 and 1996, the partnership received the Renew America National Environmental Achievement award and the Times-Mirror Chevron Award, respectively, for outstanding work in fisheries restoration.

Corpsmembers spend the summer months implementing habitat enhancement projects in the following watersheds: Eel River, Humboldt Bay, Klamath, Mendocino County and Russian River and Mendocino County coastal tributaries.

Since 1980, the SRP has employed a simple but highly effective and scientifically sound program model. With permission from landowners, Department of Fish and Game fisheries biologists and CCC technical advisors perform an initial stream assessment called "Habitat Typing." Data gathered during this assessment are then entered into a program called Habitat, a statistical analysis program that creates a mathematical model of the stream and its habitat features such as pool frequency, water temperature, and substrate. Results are then analyzed by the fisheries biologists, and a stream restoration prescription developed. Such prescriptions may include reducing water temperatures and/or reducing sediment entering the stream. Should the fisheries biologist recommend physical restoration, the biologist will revisit the stream reach, conduct a second evaluation and if appropriate, develop a site-specific restoration work plan. The report and prescription are then presented to the landowners and CCC restoration staff.

Guided and supervised by well-trained staff, CCC corpsmembers execute the physically demanding enhancement projects. When completed, the biologists inspect the project to ensure it meets the restoration needs of the site. Completed sites are then added to the Department of Fish and Game evaluation schedule and are monitored for effectiveness and structural integrity for up to 10 years. To ensure consistency and quality of work, all CCC staff and corpsmembers are trained in the restoration methodologies outlined in the California Salmon Stream Habitat Restoration Manual, Flosi et. al, (rev. 1998).

What Corpsmembers Do
Corpsmembers work with Department of Fish and Game biologists to restore the environment to a more balanced state by adding structures that mimic nature. Made primarily of wood and rock, these structures provide shelter for fish, help reduce water temperatures and add complexity to the stream channel ensuring adult salmon have the habitat they need to spawn and juvenile salmon have a healthy environment in which to grow.

Corpsmembers set up complex "grips" or pulls for giant redwood logs using pulleys, wire cable, grip hoists, teamwork and field know-how.

After maneuvering the heavy logs into place, corpsmembers secure them using rebar. The installed "digger logs" create hydrological forces that will deepen the stream channel and create a pool.

The resulting pool created by corpsmembers, digger logs and mother nature, provides habitat and cover for spawning salmon as well as shade to cool water temperatures.

Accomplishments
Through the dedicated efforts of Department of Fish and Game fisheries biologists, CCC technical advisors and especially the corpsmembers who have invested more than 1.5 million hours, the Salmon Restoration Program has:

• Restored or enhanced nearly 1,800 miles of streams and estuary habitat
• Planted more than two million trees
• Modified more than 1251 fish barriers
• Stabilized more than 57,000 feet of stream bank
• Installed more than 6,500 in-stream and cover structures

Saving an Endangered Species
Each summer since 1980, young men and women have come together for the purpose of saving North Coast salmon and steelhead stocks. These historically and economically significant fish are the staple of many Native American tribes, providing the foundation for ancient as well as many modern day legends, and are the source of more than $17 billion in revenue for California.

A Corpsmember Perspective

SALMON RESTORATION PROGRAM POEM
Grip box and mainline on our backs
Don't forget the SRP pack
Maneuvering logs into the creeks
Pounding rebar through the weeks
Sheering pins while feeling bold
Man, the creek's mighty cold
Be sure never to stand in the V
For tomorrow you'll never see
Hold your drills real tight
Or you may be taken for a flight
Remember safety first
And you won't get hurt
Just when you think the nightmare is through
Your supervisor finds more work for you to do

--Sara Long, Fortuna Corpsmember

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