Gravel placement is one of several activities that improve the Kings River’s fishery habitat.

Hundreds of tons of small rock have been added to the river in strategic locations downstream from Pine Flat Dam. The river itself does much of the work during high velocity flows by moving the newly placed gravel downstream into natural spawning habitat formations and locations.

Construction of Pine Flat Dam a half century ago blocked the natural downstream movement of gravel from the higher mountains. Since then addition of gravel has been an important tool for increasing spawning habitat available to trout below Pine Flat Dam. Gravel also enhances the habitat for aquatic insects on which the trout feed.