Butte Creek Restoration II

Restoration Stories

Iron Canyon fish Passage weir2 Sutter Bypass

The California Department of Water Resources rebuilt Weir #2 on the Sutter Bypass in 2013. Like many weirs, Weir #2 dams the water flow to create an upstream pool for nearby irrigation. The 50+-year-old structure had deteriorated so that maintaining a normal upstream operating stage for diversions and a fish ladder was not always possible during low-flow periods. The weir also has an improved fish ladder that meets federal standards. Salmon had to leap up the old ladder, but they now swim up a ramp-like structure with a series of steps along the way where they can rest in pools and then either leap or swim through holes to the next level. © CDWR