The Scott River, which flows out of mountain forests into a broad valley near the California-Oregon border, provides vital habitat for salmon that swim upstream from the ocean to spawn in the fall and winter. But this year, portions of the river have been transformed into stretches of dry sand and gravel, while farmers have kept hayfields green by running their wells and pumps. Environmental advocates are accusing regulators at the State Water Resources Control Board of failing to do enough to prevent the river from running dry. … [C]ritics say the state should have ordered farmers to cut groundwater pumping more drastically this year to save water in the river. Farmers disagree, saying drought and other factors are primarily to blame.

Other salmon news:

• Chico Enterprise-Record (Calif.): CalTrout completes Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project
• Action News Now (Chico, Calif.): $235M Oroville Dam upgrade complete, protecting Feather River fish
• KRCR (Redding, Calif.): 770-foot Oroville Dam gets deep-tunnel valve rehab to aid salmon and steelhead
• Action News Now (Chico, Calif.): Sacramento Delta gates shut for 24 hours to save salmon run
• CalTrout: Blog: CalTrout secures NOAA funding to advance multi-year restoration of the East Fork Scott River