The 2018 run of spawning adult spring-run Chinook salmon in Butte Creek was not abundant by Butte Creek standards. These were the offspring of the 2015 drought-year run. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) estimated only around 2000 spawning adults in 2018, in the lower 25% percentile of the population counts since 1995. The … Read more
Long-time board member, close friend and fishing compadre, Michael Smith, passed away November 9, 2021. The void in our hearts is vast, but his spirit is filling it with love. He has literally been on this Friends of Butte Creek journey since the day we first met 26 years ago. I know he sits on … Read more
On March 17th, 2023, the Butte County Clerk/Recorder finalized the Grant Deed transfer of a water right on Butte Creek to the Friends of Butte Creek. Thanks to the visions of many, in particular, Huey Johnson, the 33 year process has been completed. Huey, former California Secretary of Resources, founder of the Trust for Public … Read more
Friends of Butte Creek and Resource Renewal Institute work with California Department of Fish and Wildlife to set a precedent for salmon protection in California. An unprecedented collaboration among government, nonprofit and private sectors has led to the one of the first acquisitions of water rights dedicated to instream flows in California. The environmental milestone … Read more
California Department of Fish and Wildlife releases the bad news about the 2021 Phoenix Butte Creek Salmon. Although an estimated 21,580 salmon returned from brood year 2018 (Camp Fire), 19,773 died before spawning due to elevated water temperature and poor water management. We are running out if time, running out of options and the only … Read more
2018 was a tough year for Butte Creek and the spring run salmon. Less than 2000 fish were estimated to have spawned successfully. The Camp Fire broke out just as salmon were emerging from the gravel. Massive efforts to protect the creek from toxic runoff most likely helped usher the juveniles out of the canyon … Read more
Fish Flow Forever Fund Friends of Butte Creek is getting an appraisal of the value of a water right of 5 cubic feet per second (cfs) that is dedicated to Butte Creek from April 15 through October 15 and an additional 1.5 cfs dedicated to the stream the rest of the year. The combined volume … Read more
Friends of Butte Creek assisted the Butte Creek Canyon Volunteer Fire Company to apply for a grant to upgrade their fire protection equipment and were successful! The California Fire Foundation awarded the Company $15,000 toward the purchase and installation of a Skid Unit Pumper that fits in the department pickup truck. It carries 300 gallons of water and can … Read more
The last we heard in September 2019 was that there were probably just over 6000 wild spring run salmon in Butte Creek based on the annual snorkel survey and fish counter data from the spring. California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists do a follow up survey counting spawned out carcasses in late September and … Read more
We SAVED OUR TREES Butte County removed nearly 700 trees along Centerville and Honey Run Roads. Surveys by Friends of Butte Creek and two retired arborists found many trees with very little, and in some cases, no damage as a result of the fire. Many trees still had green moss almost to the base, little scarring, … Read more
