Adult Transport and Release Pilot Study to Inform the North Yuba River Spring-run Chinook Salmon Reintroduction Program
Summary
SCH Number
2025050664
Public Agency
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, North Central Region 2
(CDFW)
Document Title
Adult Transport and Release Pilot Study to Inform the North Yuba River Spring-run Chinook Salmon Reintroduction Program
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/15/2025
Document Description
The Project is a Pilot Study to evaluate adult transport, holding habitat, and spawning locations. Pilot Studies to inform the North Yuba River Spring-run Chinook Salmon Reintroduction Program consists of studies to evaluate the feasibility of reintroducing Spring-run Chinook salmon to the North Yuba River to expand their range to include historic habitat suitable to increase its resiliency.
Contact Information
Name
Michelle Forsha
Agency Name
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Job Title
Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisor)
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Sierra, Yuba
Regions
Northern California
Waterways
North Yuba River watershed
Other Location Info
North Yuba River watershed, upstream of New Bullards Bar Dam and Reservoir and downstream of Loves Falls.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Type – Class 6; California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15306
Reasons for Exemption
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), by and through its North Central Region Manager, has taken final action to approve implementation of an Adult Transport and Release Pilot Study (Project) to Inform the North Yuba River Spring-run Chinook Salmon Reintroduction Program. In taking its final agency action for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), CDFW approved the Project relying on Categorical Exemption Class 6 Information Collection (14 CCR § 15306).
Central Valley Spring-run Chinook Salmon, a species listed as Threatened under the federal and State Endangered Species Act, have been extirpated from the North Yuba River due to impassable rim dams. The Project consists of an Adult Transport and Release Pilot Study to evaluate the feasibility of reintroducing Spring-run Chinook salmon to the North Yuba River to expand their range to include historic habitat suitable to increase its resiliency.
The Class 6 Categorical Exemption applies to information collection. Specifically, a project is exempt from further review under CEQA if the project consists of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. This exemption is applicable because the Project only includes data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities, collectively referred to as a Pilot Study to inform the North Yuba River Spring-run Chinook Salmon Reintroduction Program (Program). The Pilot Study will inform further CDFW actions for the Program which have not yet been approved, adopted, or funded. Further, this exemption is applicable because exceptions to the Categorical Exemptions (14 CCR § 15300.2) have been reviewed and found not applicable to the Project.
County Clerks
Sierra, Yuba
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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