PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: IMPROVING STEELHEAD HABITAT CONDITIONS
While Chorro Creek used to be home to a healthy population of steelhead, their numbers have declined in recent years. A significant roadblock in the way of steelhead recovery is the presence of Sacramento pikeminnow. This invasive fish was introduced to the Chorro Reservoir and has found its way into Chorro Creek. Pikeminnow eat juvenile steelhead and compete with steelhead at all life stages for food and habitat. The Estuary Program and partners created the Chorro Creek Pikeminnow Management Plan, which lays out a strategy for addressing this invasive species. The California Conservation Corps also conducts annual snorkel surveys in Chorro Creek before and after pikeminnow removal efforts to evaluate the number and location of both pikeminnow and steelhead in the watershed. These efforts help track success towards controlling pikeminnow.