This project tracks annual abundance and dynamics of Chinook salmon in Putah Creek. Putah Creek is the local watershed in Davis (California, USA) and has received tremendous conservation and watershed management over the last 25 years, specifically through important work by Peter B. Moyle. 

A lawsuit in the 1990s culminated with a court-ratified Accord that required implementation of environmental flows to benefit native fishes pursuant to California Fish & Game Code 5937. 14 years following implementation of flows, Chinook salmon began arriving in Putah Creek, and numbers have generally been growing since then.

The project seeks to quantify changes in annual abundance of Chinook salmon in the creek, and to understand origins of fish recolonizing the watershed. We conduct carcass surveys for spawning adults each fall, and operate a rotary screw trap to measure juvenile salmon production in the spring. A portion of these juveniles are outfitted each year with acoustic transmitters to study and understand outmigration survival and the impacts of fish passage barriers. We also conduct a series of special studies on unique aspects of the ecology of the stream.

The project works closely with a range of conservation partners to ensure all data and science are directly translated into useful conservation actions in the watershed. It has traditionally also been a student-centric project, and a training ground for young scientists interested in reconciliation ecology, fisheries, community outreach, and watershed management.