The Shasta River should be chock full of salmon. (It was, after all, the largest salmon producing tributary to the Klamath prior to Euro-American colonization.) The sweet waters of the Shasta have the perfect combination of elements to help grow big, fat fish: low velocity and a prime gravel bed, key nutrients, and cold, clean water.

But the river is a shadow of its former self. Agricultural development has lapped up and polluted its waters and salmon struggle to survive. Yet, hope remains. If the river is restored and fish are given enough cold, clean water again they will come back. 

Friends of the Shasta River, the scrappy defenders of this river, join Gang Green to talk about the incomparable Shasta River and ongoing threats to the river, including a free pass to a California billionaire to continue to despoil the river.

Support the show