Audio
A Matter of Degrees
Transcript
A Matter of Degrees Audio Description Background photo of a salmon jumping out of turbulent water. An inset diagram showing the movement of cold water from the western end of the lake to the eastern end. The graphic highlights the water curtain and the Spring Creek Tunnel that are located below the Visitor Center. Text on the Wayside A Matter of Degrees The buoy line below you on the lake is not to keep boaters away from swimmers but to keep water away from water—warm water from cold water, that is. The buoy line is attached to a rubber curtain that drops 100 feet below the water surface. A smaller curtain anchored at the upper end of the lake forces the cold incoming water toward the lake bottom. Working together, these curtains trap the lake’s sun-warmed surface water, preventing it from mixing with the deeper, colder water. The cold water flows below the curtain as it exits, bound for the Sacramento River. Why all the fuss for cold water? To save Chinook salmon spawning grounds in the Sacramento River. Chinook eggs and fry require temperatures below 56 degrees to survive. The cold water discharged from the bottom of Whiskeytown Lake makes the difference. The Clair A. Hill Whiskeytown Dam is an important part of the Central Valley Project. However, the dam blocks fish migration and degrades stream ecology. How do we balance the need for dams with the need for aquatic species and habitat protection? One way is through the release of cold water. The cold water released from the bottom of Whiskeytown Lake is helping Chinook salmon
Description
Audio Description of the "A Matter of Degrees" wayside at the Visitor Center
Date Created
12/23/2021
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