Little Shasta River-A Compendium of Available Information

The purpose of this document is to provide information regarding the historical and current conditions of the Little Shasta River, tributary to the Shasta River, in Siskiyou County, California. The Shasta River watershed provides spawning and rearing habitat for three salmonid species; Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead. At one time, the Little Shasta River provided high quality aquatic habitat. However, under current conditions it has elevated water temperatures and goes dry in the summer in the 11-mile-long valley reach. With the listing of coho salmon under both the California and federal endangered species acts it has become a high priority to identify restoration activities that will enhance coho recovery in the watershed and improve habitat conditions for other aquatic species as well. We thought it was important to gather all the historic information available to determine how this watershed once functioned. In addition, Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel collected water temperature data over a two-year period to assess the potential for the upper watershed to provide over summering habitat for salmonids. The various pieces of information presented here will inform the question: “what steps would be necessary to restore the Little Shasta River to functioning salmonid habitat?” We do not explicitly answer that question. It is our hope that this information will help land-owners and decision-makers come up with that answer.