Field Tour Coordinator:
J.D. Wikert, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The Stanislaus River has been degraded through dams and diversions resulting in an overly deep and wide armored channel plus large pits from gravel and gold mining resulting in substantial loss of habitat for salmonids. Several restoration projects have been implemented in an effort to restore spawning gravels, create channel complexity, and reconnect off-channel habitats. Tour participants will raft the river through much of the salmon spawning reach.  Recent projects on the river have focused on reconnecting floodplains and side-channels through lowering off-channel elevations and adding screened coarse sediment back to the adjacent main channel. This holistic approach allows for both in and off-channel benefits while reducing project expense as well as impacts from trucks of gravel long distances. Come on out and discuss the whys and hows of salmonid restoration with project practitioners.