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Rain, Snow Support Healthier Salmon¹ in California

California, which has suffered from a lack of rainfall, welcomed the arrival of rain and snow late last year.

一直饱受降雨不足之苦的加利福尼亚州去年年底迎来了雨雪天气。

The precipitation gave farmers and city planners in the western state hope for better days ahead.

降水给该州西部的农民和城市规划者带来了未来日子更美好的希望。

Wildlife officials say the water also has led to healthier growth in the state's population of endangered fish called coho salmon.

野生动物官员表示，这些水还使得该州濒危鱼类银鲑的数量更健康地增长。

Records from the National Weather Service show that California received more precipitation from October to December than during the previous 12 months.

美国国家气象局的记录显示，加州从10月到12月的降水量比之前的12个月多。

California weather officials reported in late December that the snow level in the state's Sierra Nevada Mountains was 200 percent of its average for that date.

加州气象官员在12月下旬报告说，该州内华达山脉的降雪量是同期平均水平的200%。

The increase is important because the Sierra Nevada Mountains supply nearly one third of the state's water needs.

这一增长很重要，因为内华达山脉提供了该州近三分之一的用水需求。

Officials said the snow level statewide was 160 percent of its average.

官员们表示，全州的降雪量是其平均水平的160%。

The arrival of rain and snow came in time for the November-to-January spawning³ season in the Tomales Bay area, north of San Francisco.

雨雪的到来正好赶上了旧金山北部托马莱斯湾地区11月至1月的产卵季节。

The precipitation enabled⁴ some fish to reach waters near Lagunitas Creek⁵, about 20 kilometers inland.

降水使一些鱼能够到达内陆约20公里处的拉古尼塔斯河附近的水域。

"We've seen fish in places that they haven't been for almost 25 years," said Preston Brown.

普雷斯顿·布朗说：“我们在几乎25年来没出现过鱼的地方看到了鱼。”

He directs a water conservation program for the Salmon Protection and Watershed⁶ Network, or SPAWN².

他为鲑鱼保护和流域网（SPAWN）管理着一个水资源保护项目。

Experts say some fish have been seen in places where they could not go before.

专家表示，一些鱼曾出现在它们以前不能去的地方。

That includes about one-and-a-half kilometers past a place where a dam once existed on San Geronimo Creek.

其中包括经过圣杰罗尼莫河上曾经建大坝的地方大约1.5公里的水域。

The dam was removed about a year ago.

大坝大约在一年前被拆除。

Weather officials said last year's precipitation could end up being just a short break in the state's severe, 20-year drought⁷.

气象官员说，去年的降水可能只是该州20年严重干旱的一个短暂间歇。

The water shortage⁸ has made it difficult for officials to keep fish, farms and growing cities supplied with enough water.

水资源短缺使官员们难以为鱼类、农场和不断发展的城市提供足够的水。

Experts say the state needs several wet years in a row to refill supplies.

专家表示，该州需要连续数年多雨来补充供应。

But for now, the salmon are doing well.

但就目前而言，鲑鱼的状况良好。

They are leaving eggs in nests where babies will be born and spend most of their youth.

它们把卵留在窝里，鱼宝宝将在那里出生，并在那里度过大部分的幼年时光。

The fish will then swim out to the ocean as adults, later returning to the same area to spawn.

之后，这些鱼成年后将会游到海里，然后回到同一区域产卵。

Todd Steiner is the director of Turtle Island Restoration Network, the parent group to SPAWN.

托德·施泰纳是海龟岛修复网的负责人，其是SPAWN的母组织。

He told Reuters news agency⁹ the fish like to stay in smaller bodies of water, because "that's where their survival¹⁰ is the highest."

他告诉路透社，这种鱼喜欢待在面积较小的水域中，因为“那里是它们存活率最高的地方。”

Steiner added: "If we give the fish a fighting chance at survival, they will come back."

施泰纳还说：“如果我们给这种鱼一个生存的战斗的机会，它们会回来的。”