Future Efforts

Preliminary plans: Building on Phase I’s detailed geomorphic and habitat assessment, Phase II will transform planning into on-the-ground restoration across the four-mile corridor of lower French Creek and Scott River Reaches 15–14. To restore instream complexity, we will install 22–24 engineered log jams by October 2027, creating roughly 660–720 feet of new pool habitat and enhancing gravel sorting for salmonid spawning. Concurrently, we will reconnect approximately 3,000 feet of historic side channels and construct 17 beaver dam analogues to reestablish off-channel refuge and reduce bank erosion at key hotspots. Riparian health will be bolstered with the planting of 12,000 native willow, alder, and cottonwood stems and the installation of four miles of protective fencing, ensuring an average canopy cover above 50 percent within three years and a browse-pressure reduction of 90 percent. A new sediment-source mapping and treatment objective will inventory and stabilize the five highest-priority erosion sites, leveraging bio-engineered bank armor and a GIS “sediment-yield” map. Our rigorous five-year monitoring and adaptive management program will deploy four continuous stage gauges and twelve temperature loggers, conduct annual bathymetric and biannual fish-use surveys, and track riparian survival in forty permanent plots, supplemented by three rounds of drone/LiDAR mapping. Together, these efforts—supported by targeted permitting, engineering design finalization, and stakeholder coordination—are budgeted at $2.5 million, ensuring that Phase II delivers measurable habitat gains, resilience to future droughts, and lasting benefits for both salmonids and local agriculture.

$2,500,000.00

The Siskiyou Resource Conservation District (SRCD) is initiating the Shackleford Confluence Habitat Improvement Project Phase 1 to address critical habitat restoration needs within the Shackleford Creek watershed, a vital tributary to the Scott River in Quartz Valley, Siskiyou County, California. This project focuses on enhancing fish passage and improving critical spawning and rearing habitats for endangered coho salmon, chinook salmon and steelhead trout. The targeted 1.25-mile section of Shackleford Creek, located at its confluence with the Scott River, has been significantly impacted by historical land use practices, altered hydrology, and increasing climate-related stressors. Large boulders, elevated water temperatures, and reduced habitat complexity, such as a lack of large woody debris and deep pools, create barriers to fish passage and reduce habitat suitability. The confluence area loses surface flow during low-flow periods, further impeding access to upstream habitats essential for salmonid reproduction. Building on past restoration activities within the Shackleford-Mill Creek watershed, including bioengineering, riparian exclusion fencing, and large-woody-debris installations, SRCD aims to restore connectivity, increase habitat complexity, and address these ecological challenges. This project will also continue to inform conservation efforts by expanding on habitat assessments from the 2003-2004 Scott River coho Spawning Assessment and sediment studies conducted in 2010. A previous SRCD proposal in 2009 targeted similar activities in the Shackleford Creek confluence area, and Phase 1 of this initiative will further develop these goals, ensuring the recovery and sustainability of salmonid species in this crucial watershed.

$479,027.93

This project aims to implement cutting-edge bioacoustics technology to remotely monitor native bird species, including swallows and apex predator birds such as hawks, that have not been systematically tracked or studied locally in the past five years. The data collected will guide conservation strategies and improve our understanding of ecosystem health and biodiversity trends.

TBD

The proposed project directly aligns with the Siskiyou Resource Conservation District’s (SRCD) mission to identify conservation and watershed enhancement needs and provide support to landowners and resource managers through technical, financial, and educational leadership. By addressing the preservation of native plants and biologically sensitive botanical areas in the Scott River watershed, this project encapsulates SRCD’s commitment to fostering environmental stewardship and sustainable land use practices.

TBD

This project aims to monitor the range and abundance of Monarch Butterflies in the Scott River Basin through remote video technology from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2028. The project will establish a network of solar-powered video monitoring stations strategically placed within critical habitats to record seasonal migration patterns and population dynamics. Activities will include site selection, camera installation, data collection, and analysis of recorded footage. The deliverables will consist of geospatial maps of Monarch distribution, detailed reports on population trends, and a publicly accessible database of video records and analysis. The expected outcomes are improved understanding of Monarch Butterfly habitat utilization within the basin, identification of environmental factors affecting their populations, and actionable recommendations for conservation efforts. Beneficiaries include local conservation groups, landowners, researchers, and agencies working to protect pollinators and biodiversity. Subrecipient activities, if applicable, may involve local ecological organizations assisting in camera setup and ongoing data collection.

$231,743.47