Scott L Harris
Associate Biologist (Marine/Fish)
Northern Region
PO Box 1690
Willits, CA 95490
707-459-2238
Van Arsdale is the bay for the water diversion
tunnel at Cape Horn Dam, the PG&E Potter
Valley Hydropower Project, and the site of the
oldest fish counting station in California. Built
in 1922 as part of the licensing for the second
dam to be built on this system, Scott Dam. By
this time three generations of fish were lost
because Cape Horn Dam did not have a fish
ladder, between 1907 and 1922. It is said that
only 40% to 45% of the fish that arrive at this
site actually are able to make it up this fish
ladder, demonstrating that fish ladders really
do not solve the problem of getting salmon to
where there is adequate and safe spawning
and rearing habitat.
The next generation is then severely interfered
with by dams. These dams block at least 125
miles of prime spawning and rearing habitat,
but recent GIS maps indicate that there could
be more than 1,000 miles available for this
purpose. Loss of this fishery has impacted the
north coast from Eureka to Bodega Bay
fishing industry with the loss in the billions of
dollars.
