Artificial beaver dams saw juvenile coho salmon survival rates go from 8% to 60%

Artificial beaver dams constructed on Sugar Creek and French Creek in northern California created about 9,000 m2 of wetland capable of supporting over 8,500 juvenile coho salmon, keeping water temperatures cooler and reducing stress. Juvenile coho survival rose from 8% before the dams to 60% after installation, and two years later the Scott River recorded the highest salmon returns among monitored rivers, remaining robust even during severe drought.