Program

Monitoring

Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group

Biological Monitoring

What we do

Smolt trapping using a rotary screw trap

RCD monitors steelhead and salmon populations by collecting data on the number of smolts migrating to the ocean each year. A smolt is a young steelhead or salmon that is migrating downstream to begin the saltwater phase of its life. We use an 8-foot rotating fish trap located in the Napa River to catch, measure, and release these fish in order to generate population estimates and collect genetic samples. In addition to salmonids, we also collect data on other Napa River fishes.

Methods

Trap is installed in the Napa River in spring and remains in place until flows diminish
RCD biologists and volunteers check the trap daily to remove debris and process the catch
Salmonid smolts are measured, weighed, fin clipped for genetic analysis, then released
Other fish species are counted and released
Some smolts are marked and released upstream to calculate trapping efficiency

Surveys

April 6 - June 17, 2011 - Report (download) or click here to see tabular results
February 18 - June 14, 2010 - Report (download)
March 17 – May 26, 2009 – Report (download)