Give Idaho’s wild steelhead a chance

By Chris Wood The first time you snorkel a stream, the size of the bugs are disarming. Stoneflies tumbling down the stream look like aquatic dragons bent on taking off a limb. It is an optical illusion, of course. We were way up in the South Fork of the Salmon Riv er drainage. Hiking in

Impacts of climate change on tailwaters

By Michael Riley Tailwaters are known for their ability to provide clean, cold water conditions suitable to support robust trout populations. Tailwaters can provide cold water during dry conditions and also help negate the effects of flooding. But as drought and flash flooding become more extreme with climate change even tailwaters have their limits, leaving

Conserving freshwater biodiversity in California

A native Chinook salmon from California’s Central Valley. Conservation of freshwater biodiversity faces major challenges. The fragmented nature of freshwater habitats often results in species populations being highly vulnerable to extirpation. Moreover, areas managed for resource conservation typically reflect jurisdictional or landscape boundaries that have little meaning for aquatic species. Now, a team of scientists

Voices from the River: Deadbeat dams

Photo by Eric Booton By Eric Booton In the summer of 2015, I spent a week with my family on the Olympic Peninsula. We hiked in Olympic National Park, fished for humpies in the salt, and took a field trip to check out the recently liberated Elwha River whose dam had been re moved and