Center for Watershed Sciences Content

Spring-fed Rivers, Cold Waters and Trout

Andy Fell — June 09, 2025 - 1:55pm

In an age of climate whiplash, cold streams and creeks fed by aquifers in volcanic rock could be a refuge for the survival of native species, especially salmon and trout which breed in cold mountain streams.

One source of cold stream water is of course snowmelt, but that can vary greatly from year to year. Another, more stable source comes from springs drawing on water stored in porous volcanic rocks. These volcanic aquifers can feed cold water into creeks and streams year-round, potentially supporting rainbow trout, steelhead, Coho and Chinook salmon.

California Risks Billions in Economic Losses Without Water Supply Action

Katherine E Kerlin — May 14, 2025 - 2:28pm

A new economic analysis by 91��Ƭ professors shows the high cost of inaction on California’s perpetual water supply challenges. It estimates that the state could lose enough water each year to supply up to 9 million households — with economic losses totaling between $3.4 and $14.5 billion per year, depending on the severity of the scenario.

How One Word Could Strip the Endangered Species Act

Katherine E Kerlin — May 13, 2025 - 12:31pm

A rule change proposed by the Trump administration could green-light the destruction of protected species' habitats and gut the Endangered Species Act, write an ecologist and law professor.

California Rice and Conservation

Andy Fell — April 07, 2025 - 4:12pm

In 1991, the state of California largely banned burning of rice straw after harvest, and farmers turned instead to winter flooding of fields to break down straw. As a result, wildlife has flourished in rice fields which reproduce, to some extent, the wetland habitat that once covered most of California's Central Valley. Rice fields now support some 200 species including fish, birds and reptiles.

Restored Stream Supports New Wild Salmon Run

Katherine E Kerlin — March 20, 2025 - 9:00am

A 91��Ƭ Davis study confirms Putah Creek origin salmon for first time, marking a win for creek restoration and wild salmon, and providing hope for other degraded streams around the globe.

Functional Flows and Native Fish

Andy Fell — February 25, 2025 - 3:44pm

There are many demands on California water, and one of them is how much water to leave in streams to protect native fish and ecosystems. A recent approach to this question is to look at "functional flows:" not so much the total amount of water, but when it is flowing and what it is doing.

(W)ringing in the New California Water Year

Andy Fell — October 01, 2024 - 2:19pm

Oct. 1 marks the start of a new water year in California, as we head into the cooler, rainier months. In a new blog post, Jay Lund and Alvar Escriva-Bou at the 91��Ƭ Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering reflect on the year just ending and what might be ahead for WY2025.

California Native Fish in Decline

Andy Fell — September 03, 2024 - 12:02pm

From mighty sturgeon to tiny smelt, California's native fish are in trouble, under pressure from a variety of causes including drought, habitat loss and diversion of water for human uses, and climate change. A new blog post from Professor Andrew Rypel and Distinguished Professor emeritus Peter Moyle at the 91��Ƭ Davis Center for Watershed Sciences highlights some examples.

The Salmon Diaries: Life Before and After Klamath Dam Removal

Katherine E Kerlin — July 15, 2024 - 9:00am

From the Klamath River to the lab, to the ear bones of fish, 91��Ƭ Davis scientists are helping to answer a big dam question: How will salmon use the river following the world's largest dam removal project?

U.S. Reservoirs Hold Billions of Pounds of Fish

Katherine E Kerlin — April 29, 2024 - 8:57am

U.S. reservoirs hold more than 7 billion pounds of fish, a 91��Ƭ Davis study estimates. Properly managed, these existing reservoir ecosystems could help food security and conservation.