click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Yes, the waters might look smooth now, but back in the early 1960's when our local water district decided they wanted to dam Halleck Creek to form a reservoir, feathers were ruffled and a great cry went up in opposition, but complaints fell on deaf ears. The loss of hundreds of acres of productive farmland was bad enough, but to add insult to injury the dam was built without a "fish-ladder" so today the endangered Coho Salmon is prevented from reaching several miles of its traditional spawning grounds.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
But those were the 1960s and today we are finally concerned about the ecology of the area in general, and specifically the survival of the Coho Salmon species. This is the Lagunitas--the creek I call "my own", but in reality, agencies from the County, State, and Federal governments all have their thumbs in the water of "my creek".
Two citizen's groups have also gotten involved, the S.P.A.W.N. Organization and the S.G.V. Stewards. For quite some time these two groups have been slugging-it-out in an exceptionally ugly dispute about their preferred ways to approach land use, property issues, and conservation affecting the creek.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Anyway, ask ME and I'll tell you the creek is doing pretty well these days. The numbers of Coho Salmon returning to spawn has been slowly but steadily rising over the past few years. What used to be estimated at only 300 spawning fish is now said to be up near 500. Still a far cry, however, from the vast numbers in the late 1800's when this area was first settled.
Image above (Coho Salmon) taken in December 2011
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