Unit Concepts

Through the unit activities, students will explore the following concepts:

1. Humans, and salmon and steelhead are part of the watershed and are supported by it.

  1. A watershed is the land area that collects and channels water to a body of water like a river or stream.
  2. Salmon and steelhead have specific habitat needs at different stages of their life cycle.
  3. Salmon and steelhead spend part of their life cycle in rivers or streams.
  4. Salmon, steelhead, and people require healthy watersheds for their well-being.

2. Human activities throughout the watershed affect the quality of streams.

  1. The characteristics of a river or stream affect its suitability as salmon and steelhead habitat.
  2. Every watershed has a unique history of human activity that has altered the characteristics and habitat suitability of its rivers and streams.
  3. The presence or absence of salmon and steelhead in a coastal river or stream that has historically supported these fish is an indicator of watershed health.
  4. The quality of salmon and steelhead habitat is a measure of watershed health.

3. Salmon, steelhead, and humans are members of a community.

  1. Salmon and steelhead have a key role in a healthy and dynamic watershed.
  2. Human activities affect the health of watersheds and the quality of salmon habitat.
  3. People working together can often be more effective in influencing environmental decisions than individuals working alone.
  4. People can choose to exercise judgment, care, and planning in the use and management of watersheds, including minimizing impacts on salmon and steelhead populations.

Latino steelhead anglers by the Ventura River Estuary, 1909. Photo from the Mark H. Capelli Southern California Steelhead Watershed Archive