A sudden infrastructure failure at the Trinity River Hatchery on Nov. 7 forced the emergency release of hundreds of thousands of juvenile fish and thousands of adult salmon into the Trinity River after a trash rack collapsed and blocked most of the facility’s water supply, according to state and federal officials. The incident was disclosed publicly for the first time during the Trinity Management Council’s quarterly meeting on Dec. 10, when Derek Rupert, a fish biologist with the Bureau of Reclamation’s Northern California Area Office, briefed council members on what he described as a rare and serious operational emergency.

Other salmon and fishery news:

• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: News release: Naturally reproduced coho salmon found in Russian River’s Upper Basin for the first time in decades
• Times-Standard (Eureka, Calif.): Opinion: Klamath Dam removal was successful, now we need to free the Eel River 
• California Trout: Blog: A big year for the Eel River — a look back and what’s next
• Daily Kos: Blog: Record run of 2,150 salmon returns to Putah Creek, a Sacramento River tributary
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: News release: California Fish and Game Commission extends red abalone recreational fishery closure, finds CESA listing of bear lake buckwheat warranted
• State Water Contractors: News release: State Water Contractors respond to incidental take permit for the longterm operation of the State Water Project