Federal agency to release extra water into Sacramento River for salmon migration

Chaewon Chung, The Sacramento Bee on Apr 7, 2026

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The Bureau of Reclamation announced Tuesday that it will temporarily release more water from Keswick Dam into the Sacramento River to help juvenile Chinook salmon safely make their journey to the ocean.

The move came about two weeks after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released more than 6.2 million young salmon from Coleman Hatchery into Battle Creek, prompting conservationists to urge the agency to increase dam-releases into Sacramento River that’s facing low flows.

“This pulse flow is designed to improve survival rates for juvenile Chinook salmon as they migrate to the ocean,” the bureau said in a news release. Pulse flows are conditional events that span four to seven days and can increase or decrease dam releases, often triggered to support river conditions.

“This pulse flow is scheduled to begin around April 8, with peak Keswick releases near 10,000 cfs (cubic feet per second). Releases from Keswick Dam will vary to shape pulse flow conditions,” the bureau continued.

Pulse flows will take place in April and May, targeting to increase flow rates to about 11,000 cubic feet per second at Wilkins Slough. It’s been found that survival for young salmon increases significantly when flow rates at Wilkins Slough meet above 10,700 cubic feet per second. As of the afternoon of March 25, Wilkins Slough’s water flow stood at 7,780 cubic feet per second. By Tuesday afternoon, it had dropped to 6,470 cubic feet per second, about 39.5% below that 10,700 cubic feet per second threshold.

The record-setting high temperatures for March were felt across California, and the statewide snowpack reached a devastating low. By April 1, no measurable snow was detected at Philips Station in the Sierra Nevada and the dry spell left the Sacramento River with low water flows, making it difficult for young salmon to travel through the river and ultimately out to the ocean.

“We’re very happy to see the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service working together to create flows to get these fish to the ocean,” Vance Staplin, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Association, said following the announcement.

Meanwhile, the announcement also came as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced its plan to release more than 2 million salmon into Battle Creek on Tuesday.

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