100-Year-Old Dam Removed From San Geronimo Creek in Marin for Salmon Migration
The endangered coho salmon have been on a steady decline as urbanization wreaks havoc on their remaining natural habitat. But the recent demolition of an old dam and fish ladder on the former San Geronimo Valley golf course has freed up one of their important breeding passages.
One of the more unspoken side effects of unbridled construction is not only how it can level once towering tree groves, but how laying concrete and making of man-made lakes can derail spawning routes for migratory fish. In fact, 27 regional salmon runs are now either endangered or threatened by encroaching human activity. (Salmon, specifically, are one of the most relied-upon food sources for large predators like brown and black bears, wolves, and birds of prey.) These fish key players in safeguarding the biodiversity in the areas they spawn at and migrate to – which is why Friday's clearing of a 100-year-old dam along Marin County's San Geronimo creek is so necessary.