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Over the past few months Whitney Philbrook, a dedicated LADWP Watershed Resources Specialist, and other Los Angeles Aqueduct team members have been scouting water-spreading areas. These areas, utilized during the historic 2023 runoff throughout Owens Valley, are now not currently needed and with the valley experiencing record-high extreme heat, water levels are quickly lowering. Per LADWP’s Master Agreement for Routine Maintenance with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, LADWP is required to make reasonable efforts “to capture and move all stranded aquatic life observed in dewatered areas”. Due to the rising temperatures and reduced water flow, LADWP is responsible for translocating stranded fish from drying spreading grounds. The high water temperatures threaten the fish population with increased stress loads on stranded fish, bird predation, and decreased oxygen in the water.
Whitney and other LADWP employees successfully rescued 34,760 fish (largely Sacramento Perch) using a barge electrofisher and backpack electroshockers. This equipment sends an electrical current through the water, temporarily stunning the fish, so they can be captured and relocated to a safer area where they can thrive. Most fish were translocated to Pleasant Valley Reservoir for recreational fishing and some were placed in the Owens River. Whitney’s work is important in supporting the survival of local wildlife during these challenging conditions.
To learn more about LADWP environmental work in the Eastern Sierra visit LADWPEasternSierra.com/environment.
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