Water Year 2025 – 90% chance of normal or wetter

Water Year 25 thus far has been a good year for Trinity Reservoir. In October, Trinity measured in at 70% full with 1.7 million acre feet. Seasonal storms have recently pushed storage over 2 million acre feet (or 84%). In December, flows were held steady at 1500 cfs through January and increased to 3500 cfs after several atmospheric river systems passed through in early February.

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Snow Surveys

Each year, the Watershed Research and Training Center along with the U.S. Forest Service – Shasta-Trinity National Forest conduct monthly snow surveys at specific locations in the Trinity Alps which are a part of the statewide California Cooperative Snow Survey program. The data from these local organizations help the California Department of Water Resources in developing the forecast for the quantity of water available for our watershed each water year. Click here to read more about collecting this important yearly data.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Steelhead Report Card Dashboard

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) tracks steelhead angler effort and success through a reporting program. This reporting program consists of a mandatory report card that all steelhead anglers need to have in their possession while fishing. Anglers record each day that they fish, where they fish, how many fish they catch, and whether those fish are from a hatchery (determined by the lack of an adipose fin, which is removed by hatchery staff before the fish is released), or were spawned in the wild (determined by the presence of an adipose fin).

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Benthic Macro Invertebrate Monitoring

Partners of the Trinity River Restoration Program, USGS, and Cal Poly Humboldt are partnering to complete the largest benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring project on the Trinity River. This will be the most comprehensive sampling to date, including sampling biweekly during the winter and spring months and monthly during the summer and fall months.

Samples will be collected in several different habitats including in the perennial channel and in newly inundated floodplains across the Trinity River. A graduate student from Cal Poly Humboldt will be processing and identifying all the samples collected as part of their graduate work.

The goal of this project is to provide baseline data across the entire year as well as investigate how scour and inundation events affect the benthic macroinvertebrate communities. This project is one of the many that are designed to better inform flow management on the Trinity River.

Trinity River Watershed Restoration Environmental Assessment

Public Comment Period: Spring 2025

The Trinity River Restoration Program is working with the Bureau of Land Management – Redding Field Office and the US Forest Service – Shasta-Trinity National Forest to help increase restoration projects within Trinity River tributaries. The Watershed Environmental A will cover projects related to;

• instream habitat restoration
• upslope habitat restoration
• road maintenance, rehabilitation, and decommissioning activities

This Environmental Assessment will be available to organizations who wish to implement restorative projects on Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service lands and TRRP-funded work on private land within the Trinity Watershed as well as for projects that are funded by those agencies.

The Language of Sediment

Rivers are dynamic ecosystems shaped by multiple interacting and overlapping physical and biological processes. A fundamental aspect of a river’s ecology is sediment, which is the foundational underpinnings of habitats, influence for water quality, and support for wildlife. In this article, we explore terminology and features of Trinity River sediments, the building blocks of our river system.

Bug of the month: Chironomids

You may notice a distinct absence of bugs flying above the river during these winter months. However, if you look closely you’ll find an active colony of tiny midges buzzing on the surface. These midges, despite their small size, are extremely important to the ecology of the Trinity River. Midges belong to the ‘true flies’ (order Diptera) and are related to other flies such as houseflies, craneflies, and mosquitoes.

Photo: Newly inundated floodplain habitat with a Chironomid ‘bloom’. Each one of the tube-like structures are cases that Chironomids construct out of fine sediments. [Chris Laskodi]

Feb. 1 – Feb. 22

Trinity County RCD – Trinity River Photo Contest

The Trinity County Resource Conservation District and the Trinity River Restoration program invite you to submit your best photos of the Trinity River by Feb. 22 to Duncan McIntosh at TCRCD. Entries can be sent via email, mail, or dropped off at the TCRCD office. 

Feb. 15-16, Trinity County Birding Days

• First Event: Saturday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Ewing Reservoir, Hayfork
• Second Event: Sunday, Feb. 16, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Trinity River Hatchery, Lewiston

Local Shasta College instructor and birding aficionado Pat Frost will lead two special Birding Days in February. Join us for a fun-filled and educational outdoor adventure (weather permitting—events will be canceled if it’s raining or snowing).

Be an early bird to access our limited supply of binoculars and bird guides. Bringing your own is encouraged. Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information or to register for updates on weather cancellations, contact Duncan at the Trinity County RCD at 530-623-6004 x 222 or dmcintosh@tcrcd.net.

Mar. 1, Marti Gras Parade De Salmon

Up North Confectionary & The Weaverville Hotel, 2pm – 4pm

Get your masks and beads ready! The Krewe of Koho Reaux invites you to the Mardi Gras Parade de Salmon in Weaverville on Saturday, March 1st, starting at 2pm.

Celebrate the carnival season and salmon sightings with the Trinity County Resource Conservation District and Trinity Arts Council at an educational and crafting event at the Up North Confectionary’s Deck and the Weaverville Hotel.

At 4:00 PM, the sidewalk parade begins at Up North Deck, winding through downtown to symbolize the salmon’s journey from river to ocean and back. Local businesses and artists will be along the parade route, so be sure to check out their offerings after the parade!

Mar. 1, Open House

Weaverville Hotel, 2pm – 7pm

Join us at our annual Open House! Participate in the Parade De Salmon from 2-4pm with arts, crafts, activities plus a parade which starts at the Up North Confectionary! Hop on over to the Weaverville hotel to vote on your favorite Trinity River photo submission, meet program scientists and staff, learn about the Golden Mussel – a new invasive species threat to California waterways, and look to see if you can identify a juvenile salmon’s favorite food. We’ll have snacks and drinks. We hope to see you Saturday, March 1!