Salmonids in the Classroom

Last week, the Turlock Irrigation District celebrated its 27th year participating in the Salmonids in the Classroom program releasing 200 young salmon into the Stanislaus River.

The program, which is a collaboration between the Turlock Irrigation District and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, educates young students on the life cycle of Chinook salmon.

Along with raising and hatching salmon eggs, students receive lesson plans organized and presented by the Turlock Irrigation District. These lessons cover many topics, including the Chinook salmon life cycle, the anatomy and physiology of fishes, river geology, and aquatic habitats.

This year, the program consisted of 25 classrooms, all within the district's service area. The two month program begins in January as students observe fertilized eggs in a classroom aquarium, and ends the first week of March when the young fish are collected and released.

Turlock Irrigation District's Aquatic Biologist, Patrick Maloney, has administered the program for five years. Malonely has the opportunity to observe the program from start to finish, providing aquarium equipment, collecting the hatch lings, and guiding the children on river walks before the final release of the salmon.

According to Maloney, the students and their excitement towards the project is what makes his work worthwhile. Maloney says, " To me, there’s no greater reward than seeing the children’s eyes light up when I know they learned something."

If you would like to know more about the Turlock Irrigation District and their efforts towards education and conservation, visit their website here.