High school student biologists help research and restore North Bay watershed

PETALUMA, Calif. (KGO) -- We're following a program that's helping to restore streams and creeks in the North Bay.

The science behind it is impressive, and even more so when you realize high school students are driving the research.

In a shallow creek in Petaluma, a team of student scientists is documenting a habitat coming back to life with the help of a program decades in the making.

Ellie Slick is a biologist with the United Anglers of Casa Grande High School.

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"We're all student run. We're the ones who monitor the steelhead in this watershed, not just in Adobe Creek but any presence in other creeks in Petaluma as well. All of our research is pretty much led by the students," Slick said.

We first introduced you to the team at Casa Grande High School earlier this year. That's when they were tagging Steelhead Trout with tiny tracking devices. The students run a fully operational fish hatchery, where they're able to raise specimens themselves. Now for the first time, they're in the process of releasing them back into the spring watershed with special permits.

Director Dan Hubacker says it's a major advance for the program, which is evolving from monitoring the watershed to advanced restoration work. Hopefully bolstering the dwindling native populations, like the small fish being sampled on the day we caught up with them.

"This year was the first year that we released Smoltz back into the creek. So with that being the case, these are from either fish coming up recently or fish that I've been holding out here. It's most likely what's happening," Hubacker said.

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The program is in its fourth decade and the students now work with grants from the National Fish and Wildlife foundation, collecting data that could help drive the restoration project.

Chelsea Williams and Lucy James hope to make even bigger contributions in the future.

"It's amazing. I am very grateful to have a role in this. And, I know it's definitely a tough time for science as of now. And, to just be a part of it is absolutely wonderful and so worth it. And, I hope to continue this in the future," Williams said.

"I plan to get a master's in environmental policy. And then go to law school and do law with the, like, specification in environmental conservation. And probably for, like, environmental nonprofits like ours," James said.

This year, students are hoping to document and track migration patterns of Steelhead Trout in Adobe Creek and, perhaps, open another chapter, in what's already an environmental success story.