Agency and Public Collaboration to Pass Winter-Run Chinook Salmon Above Shasta Dam

As California faces an unprecedented drought, competition for water is reaching its climax. Caught in this struggle are numerous native fish populations, particularly the endangered winter-run Chinook salmon in the Sacramento River. To promote the survival of this once-robust run, Reclamation is implementing the Shasta Dam Fish Passage Evaluation to determine the long-term feasibility of reintroducing winter-run Chinook to their historic spawning grounds.

Concern over cost, water supply impacts, Endangered Species Act assurances, timber harvesting, wild trout protection, and tribal issues have led to tense interactions with the public, landowners, advocacy groups, local governments, and Native Americans. In such environments, effective stakeholder and agency communication led by a public involvement specialist is maintained on a foundation of strong interpersonal relationships among all interested parties. Approaches for stakeholder identification and methods for collection of stakeholder requirements are critical to project success.

This program has two years of multi-faceted stakeholder coordination focused on micro- and macro-scale strategies, and associated project benefits achieved when stakeholders openly share expertise and concerns based on a mutual understanding of the project. The program also has a range multi-agency coordination activities that seek to align the missions of seven state and federal agencies.