Salmon Habitat in a Warming Climate: Spotlight on the Deshka River
The Deshka River hosts one of the most productive fisheries in the Matanuska-Susitna Basin (Mat-Su) and has long been a place of cultural importance. It is also among the warmest salmon systems in the Mat-Su with summer water temperatures regularly exceeding thresholds considered stressful for salmon. This year’s summer site tour for community leaders brought 33 people out on the Deshka River to share collaborative science occurring there, and to provide community leaders with current information on stream temperature and potential impacts to salmon and their habitat in the Mat-Su. Partners have for instance, identified cold water inputs (cold water refugia), which could serve as critical habitat in maintaining the Deshka River as a salmon stronghold in a warming future.
Thank you to the generous supporters of this year’s site tour: Trident Seafoods, Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association, Cook Inletkeeper, Trout Unlimited, Susitna River Coalition, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, FishHound Expeditions and Chickaloon Village Traditional Council.
Special thanks to our presenters, as well as following boat operators: Drill Team 6 Fishing Excursions, Fishtale River Guides, Drifterz Paradise, Berg’s Frontier Fishing Guides, FishHound Expeditions and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Find the site tour handout here, including itinerary, map and presentation summaries.
Read an article by Andy Couch about the tour in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman
Other resources:
Learn more about the Deshka River temperature monitoring work in this fact sheet by Cook Inletkeeper and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Deshka River real time temperature monitoring site (located in between site tour stops #2 (river mile 4) and stop #3 (river mile 7/ADF&G weir).
Want to learn more about salmon habitat in a warming climate? Check back for more resources on this site.
