Bureau Awards Nearly $6.9 Million for Battle Creek Restoration Project

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced June 28 it will award nearly $6.9 million for a habitat restoration project to restore populations of threatened and endangered fish along Battle Creek in Northern California.

A contract for $6,839,497.50 under Obama’s 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will fund Phase 1B of the Battle Creek Salmon and Steelhead Restoration Project. Located in Shasta and Tehama counties, the project involves constructing a tailrace connector and penstock bypass at the Inskip Powerhouse, part of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Battle Creek Hydroelectric Project, and building a small bypass at Coleman Diversion Dam on the South Fork of Battle Creek. 

The project will restore Chinook salmon and steelhead habitat along 48 miles of the creek and its tributaries without disrupting production of hydroelectric power. Habitat restoration and enhancement will enable safe passage, growth and recovery of Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, and Central Valley steelhead. All of the fish are listed as threatened or endangered.  Construction is expected to begin in September.

"We look forward to the implementation of this phase of the major restoration effort," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar in a press release.  "The project demonstrates that through cooperation, federal and state agencies, private industry and nonprofit organizations can restore fish species, while allowing continued production of renewable energy.”