Planting Smolts in the San Lorenzo River, March 2010
On Tuesday March 30, a crew of volunteers planted approximately 5,250 San Lorenzo River [SLR] steelhead smolts in Paradise Park. These fish made up that portion of the year 2009 SLR production fish that were reared in the hatchery for a full year. The rest had been released earlier in the winter due to concerns over potential floods and mudslides at the hatchery from watershed damage caused by the Lockheed Fire in August.
Here the crew prepares to load smolts from Pool #4 into the F-450 planting truck.
Two fellows in the pool net the fish.
Allen hands over a nice net full.
Nets of fish are handed up and placed in the truck tank. Work can be fun.
Surprise! When the sight glass breaks on the truck tank, Corky puts his finger in the dike until the plumbers can find the right fittings to plug the leak.
Looking downstream on the San Lorenzo River from planting site.
The crew assembles the flex hoses and hooks them up to the tank dump valve.
Matt and Corky are ready for the fish [the black pipe is a storm drain line].
Corky was on the business end during the planting
A few fish hide out while they get used to their new environs.
Motley's Crew: Morrow, Matt, Bob, Montana Bill, Paul, Corky, and Al [Cap'n Motley].
photos by Sherry Whitcomb
Last Updated (Thursday, 08 April 2010 15:31)
