Chinook salmon returns to NorCal river after 80 years

DOWNIEVILLE, Calif. - Chinook salmon swim in a northern California river for the first time in more than 80 years. 

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says it injected spring-run Chinook salmon eggs over a 12-mile stretch of riverbed in the North Yuba River just east of Downieville back in October.

These fish have not been seen in the river since the construction of Englebright Dam in 1941. 

Scientists hope to have these salmon emerge from the gravel eventually as wild salmon would. The department says the first young fish were seen in the river on Feb. 11.