Pump Failure Kills Fall-Run Chinook Salmon At Feather River

[rlown]

170320-cdfw-annex-2985.jpg

An estimated 200,000 to 300,000 fall-run Chinook salmon were killed early yesterday morning at the Feather River Fish Hatchery – Thermalito Facility due to a pump failure from a faulty wire. More than two million remaining salmon at the facility will be released over the next month as they reach an appropriate size.

Overnight on May 10, 2017, the primary pump supplying well water to the facility failed, drastically reducing the water supply to the hatchery raceways.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) staff first observed stressed fall-run Chinook salmon at 6:30 a.m. along with mortalities in the raceways due to low dissolved oxygen levels. Hatchery staff immediately started supplying supplemental oxygen to the raceways to keep fish alive. CDFW notified the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), which manages the wells, and DWR electricians made immediate repairs to restart the pump motor and resume the flow of water.

Early loss estimates suggest 200,000-300,000 fall-run perished in this event. A rapid response likely saved thousands if not millions more fall-run Chinook at the facility.

The fall-run were reared at the Thermalito Facility after they were evacuated from the main hatchery in February following erosion of the Oroville Dam gated flood control spillway.

More than two million fall-run Chinook at the Thermalito Facility will remain there until they reach an appropriate size for release to the Feather River. Releases begin this week and will continue over the next month. CDFW and DWR staff are developing additional redundancy measures to prevent future pump failures.

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Source: https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2017/05/ ... -facility/

[Brien]

That's awful. I swear this state can barely function.

[rlown]

It is a large loss. But, we have the 68 billion dollar bullet train to nowhere in the works. Sigh.

Agree this State is in a bad state.

[Jimr]

:retard:

[rlown]

mmm, k.. what did that string of emoji mean, Jimr?

[Jimr]

Devil: Hmmm, I could go places with this….hehe, I’ll do it.
Angel: No, no you mustn’t. Behave yourself.
Devil: Nobody’s looking…. Yes, I’ll do it.
Angel: No, No, No.
Devil: But, nobody is watching. Hehe, I’ll do it.
Angel: Please don’t
Devil: But, nobody is watching. I want to
Angel: No, No, NO you will not
Devil: Sh!t, sh!t, sh!t, you’re no fun (bangs head on wall). Hmmmmmm, I’m gonna do it.
Angel: You’ve been silenced you little devil
Devil: Sigh,,, guess I'll just drink.

[rlown]

Guessing your bid for 100 Mill didn't get accepted to single-handedly fix the Oroville dam spillways.

[Jimr]

Couldn't come up with enough green lube.

[rlown]

Now on a serious note.. CA, manage the fish better! No sensor for oxygen in the race?? trigger to someone's cell?? seems like a good idea.

[Jimr]

When I read that "Hatchery staff immediately started supplying supplemental oxygen to the raceways to keep fish alive", I immediately envisioned a pile of staff blowing bubbles through straws, but then sometimes, I think funny things.

Could have been a lot worse, I guess. Could have lost them all.