Bridge Group: Working Together to Create Robust Salmon Populations

Bridge Group is a coalition of fishermen, water suppliers, farmers, researchers, and conservationists.

Written by:  Todd Manley, Director of Government Relations NCWA-Northern Califonia Water Association

A coalition of fishermen, water suppliers, farmers, researchers, and conservationists committed to the recovery of Chinook salmon known as The Bridge Group has a new website to help share information on the group’s projects and priorities. The Bridge Group is advocating for and implementing projects to enhance salmon survival, improve fish hatcheries and advance salmon recovery science in the Sacramento Valley.  

Conservation
The Bridge Group is helping advance several innovative salmon recovery efforts across the Sacramento Valley, ranging from hatchery improvements and fish passage work to floodplain and agricultural partnership projects. A full overview of the group’s projects can be found on the Bridge Group Conservation Projects page.
One example is the Salmon on Ricelands Project, which explores how winter-flooded rice fields can provide valuable rearing habitat for juvenile salmon while supporting working agricultural lands. The project highlights the growing collaboration between farmers, researchers, and conservation partners to test creative, science-based approaches to salmon recovery in the Sacramento Valley.

To view a short video about the salmon efforts by The Bridge Group, click here.

The Bridge Group consists of the California Rice Commission, Golden Gate Fishermen’s Association, NorCal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association, Northern California Water Association, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Sacramento River Settlement Contractors, and Western Canal Water District. Bridge Group members represent thousands of square miles of farmland across Northern California and hundreds of fishing businesses and guides operating from the Sacramento River to Monterey Bay and beyond the Oregon border.