Event Description:
Alameda Creek Alliance Volunteering Program
Event Skill Levels (for fish counting later in the fall):
- Wading: intermediate in riffles with light slippery medium rocks
- Hiking: beginner and flat but with possible bushwhacking due to lack of streamside trails
- Catch success rate: This is a non fishing event for conservation purposes
Many of our members will remember the excellent work over the years that Darrell Bridgeman participated in with the Alameda Creek Alliance, who maintains stewardship for the Alameda Creek through Niles Canyon, up to Calaveras Reservoir and into the tributaries. For those that don’t know of the work of the Alliance, they have sought for many, many years to clean up Alameda Creek, and to provide access (i.e. fish ladders) around the creek’s dams to enable both Salmon and Steelhead to re-enter and spawn in the creek. It has been many years since the fish could access the spawning areas and it appears that will finally occur this year.
TVFF has supported the Alliance for many years through Darrell and other’s work, and also with TVFFdonations funded from our annual membership fees over the years. And now the creek needs our help once again, as the local Fly Fishing Club of record for the creek.
I received the following request from CalTrout, one of the ”Creek” partners this week and it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to get involved on a local conservation project of great merit. You can express your interest in volunteering on our website, and we will forward the list of volunteers on to CalTrout and the Alliance. Please register here by Thursday September 22, 2022 so that we can provide an accurate count on how many attendees to expect at the pre-counting meeting Sunday. There is no need to register on our webstie if you already responded to the CalTrout email and registered directly with them.
From CalTrout:
“We have an exciting new opportunity for you to volunteer in the Alameda Creek watershed starting this fall!
Alameda Creek is the largest watershed in the Bay Area, and for the first time in over 50 years salmon and steelhead will be able to access the watershed to spawn. Migration is made possible by the completed fish ladder at lower Alameda Creek in addition to the hard work of various groups to improve fish passage throughout the watershed. CalTrout is partnering with Alameda Creek Alliance to build out a volunteer program to help us monitor these fish as they re-enter the watershed. Monitoring work is essential to help inform future restoration efforts - and we can't do it without you! Read on for more information about the opportunity below.
What?
A training session for volunteers interested in conducting salmon and steelhead monitoring in the Alameda Creek watershed this coming fall and winter. At the training, you will learn more about the Alameda Creek Alliance's salmonid monitoring program and past monitoring efforts in the watershed. You will also be refreshed on salmonid identification and receive a walk through on how to use the Survey123 application that will record your monitoring efforts. As part of the monitoring work, volunteers will be provided safe and legal access to portions of the watershed and will be expected to walk along the creek to conduct visual observations of fish and spawning beds.
When?
Sunday, September 25, 10am - 1pm
Where?
Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve Visitor Center, 1895 Geary Road, Sunol, CA
The training session will be hosted by Alameda Creek Alliance (ACA), CalTrout, East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), SFPUC, and CDFW.
More information about the work, history, and data behind the Alliance can be found here;
http://www.alamedacreek.org/
If you have any questions, please contact Rob Farris @ RFFarris@comcast.net.
