California, Federal Government, and Yuba Water Agency Launch Initiative to Restore Native Fish to the North Yuba River
Photo Credit: California Governor's Office
MARYSVILLE, Calif., April 25, 2025 (CALIFORNIA NEWS TODAY) — Government agency partnership, the Yuba River Resilience Initiative, has been officially launched to reopen the North Yuba River to native fish.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced the agreement, a collaboration between the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the Yuba Water Agency, and NOAA Fisheries. The initiative aims to allow salmon, steelhead, lamprey, and sturgeon to access miles of habitat in the Lower Yuba River and North Yuba River, areas that have been inaccessible for more than 100 years.
"In California, we know that water management isn’t a zero-sum game, and we are happy to see that the federal administration is on board with our strategy to safeguard our precious ecosystems. Today, we stand together with our federal partners to restore our waterways and wildlife, including our native fish," said Governor Gavin Newsom.
The Yuba River Resilience Initiative was first introduced as a framework agreement in May 2023. California is contributing $30 million toward the project, part of an initial $60 million combined investment from all partners. According to the state, the funding will support the construction of a nature-like fishway, a modernized water diversion at Daguerre Point Dam, and a comprehensive fish reintroduction program.
"When state, local, and federal partners come together to support native fish and watersheds, we see powerful results. Together, these actions will help us fight challenges to fish health and repopulation in the Yuba River through creative, science-based solutions. This initiative will also lead to better water supply reliability, as we modernize an old water diversion in a collaborative, comprehensive approach between water users and fisheries agencies. I’m grateful to NOAA and Yuba Water for their dedication to restoring this watershed and helping native fish populations thrive," said Charlton “Chuck” Bonham, Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The fishway will create a natural river channel, providing salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and lamprey a route to more than 10 miles of spawning habitat. Construction of a modernized water diversion is planned to safeguard fish movement while maintaining irrigation water supply. The reintroduction program will work to repopulate spring-run Chinook salmon above New Bullards Bar Reservoir, with adaptive management and monitoring strategies built in.
Construction of the fishway is scheduled to begin in early 2026.
For more information, visit www.water.ca.gov.
