Category: Science News

NASA satellites reveal major shifts in global fresh water:  “In a first-of-its-kind study, scientists have combined an array of NASA satellite observations of Earth with data on human activities to map locations where freshwater is changing around the globe and why.  The study, published today in the journal Nature, finds that Earth’s wet land areas are getting wetter and dry […]

In science news this week: Salmon spawn fierce debate over protecting endangered species, thanks to a single gene; A winter-run reboot in Battle Creek; Experimentation essential in saving Earth’s degraded land; Beavers do ‘dam’ good work cleaning water; Measuring snow persistence can help streamflow; “Untuning” water and what it could mean for water treatment Salmon spawn fierce debate over protecting […]

Are surveys missing the boat on longfin smelt?  “Long-term monitoring studies are the unsung heroes in the field of ecology. They are often unrecognized and taken for granted, but provide essential sources of information to tell stories of the natural world. In March, FISHBIO attended the Interagency Ecological Program’s Annual Workshop in Folsom, California, which highlights the work done each […]

In science news this week: Study: California to whipsaw between droughts, floods; Billions of gallons of water saved by thinning forests; Two decades in the making, Lower Deer Creek fish passage project finally complete; Where cattle graze and salamanders roam; Novel ecosystems provide use for some native birds; Research models how deadly virus moves among Pacific salmon, trout; Sweetwater River […]

Record number of steelhead return to spawn during 2017-2018 season at Coleman National Fish Hatchery:  “Unprecedented. That’s the word to describe the 10,000 steelhead that returned to Coleman National Fish Hatchery during the 2017-2018 season.  While dealing with the large return presented huge challenges for hatchery personnel, anglers will be happy to see the fish released into the Sacramento River […]

In science news this week: Putah Creek: A mighty confluence of events creates a model stream; Want to fight sea level rise? Look to San Francisco’s Ocean Beach; Disparities in coastal stream restoration in Central California; Creating habitat in a drawn-down lake; Odds of reaching 100% normal precipitation for water year 2018; Extreme climate variability disrupting West Coast ecosystems; Even […]

After long absence, endangered winter-run Chinook salmon return to restored Battle Creek:  “Robert Barker, a fish culturist at the Coleman National Fish Hatchery, had just helped complete something historic and he knew it, spontaneously raising his arms in touchdown-like fashion.  “I was thinking “yeaaaa! We did it!” Barker said.  Barker’s enthusiasm was shared by many. He was directing the release […]

In science news this week: Going with the flow: CDFW’s water branch keeps a careful eye on California’s riverine resources; Tidal marsh restoration helps build resiliency in the Silicon Valley; Hope for rainbow trout on the Stanislaus River; Sea lion breeding shifts north to San Francisco Bay Area islands; The lion in the tree: A botanist’s mission to save our […]

In science news this week: Wildfire intensity impacts water quality and its treatment in forested watersheds; Understanding the effects of climate change on California watersheds; Identification of potentially suitable habitat for strategic land retirement and restoration in the San Joaquin Desert; Twice as many birds at Putah Creek after water restored; Scientists study spawning salmon through a riverbed lens; Outside […]