The South Yuba River Citizens League is trying a new tactic to convince the Army Corps to clean fish ladders at Daguerre Point Dam in Yuba County. They’re now asking the public to sign a letter that will be sent to the Corps. SYRCL’s Communications and Engagement Director, Betsy Brunner, says fewer than three-thousand Chinook salmon now return to the lower Yuba River each year. That’s a 99-percent decrease from the historic population size…

click to listen to Betsy Brunner

Brunner says the Corps’ efforts to provide adequate passage for this threatened species have been insufficient for over a decade…

click to listen to Betsy Brunner

SYRCL’s Executive Director, Melinda Booth, says salmon are not only a keystone to the watershed but are also part of the region’s legacy. Those interested in signing the letter and/or signing the petition can visit “clean the dam ladder dot-org”. The deadline is Monday. About a decade ago, the Corps implemented a project to excavate debris from above the dam and place it downstream in a plunge pool.