Program areas at California Trout
In shasta-klamath region, caltrout worked towards protecting and restoring the spring-fed cold-water river systems of the shasta-klamath region that, in the face of drought and climate change, sustain native salmonids, support the local economy, supply water to central and southern California, and provide critical habitat for endangered species. This work included protection of legacy waters such as the hat creek/fall river, mccloud, pit rivers, the battle creek salmon and steelhead restoration project (bcssrp) which aims to remove five dams, install fish screens and ladders on three dams, and end the diversion of water from the north fork to the south fork. Caltrout worked on restoring the habitat conditions in key klamath tributaries including the shasta-scott watersheds by improving water management on agricultural lands, removing fish barriers and small dams, and restoring instream flows, advancing the klamath dam removal, and assessing source water recharge area, volcanic springs and baseline conditions for water security.
In southern California, caltrout promoted recovery of endangered southern California steelhead through science-based projects that increased access to prime habitat by removing migration barriers, improving Trout habitat, and preserving native rainbow Trout populations; and increasing awareness of state water issues to so cal legislators to establish legal precedent on important statewide fish and water issues. This entailed working to remove the matilija dam and rindge dam, providing critical fish passage in southern California rivers, and ensuring agencies enforce laws on associated key issues. Work on estuaries included analyzing so cal estuaries. Caltrout also led two steelhead coalitions - the south coast steelhead coalition and the santa clara river steelhead coalition and built partnerships in watershed restoration and fish passage.
In the north coast region, caltrout strived to protect the ecological health of the north coast's rivers, and the salmon and steelhead stronghold populations they sustain. In the smith, klamath, trinity, redwood, mad, and the eel rivers, caltrout established sound policies and science-based recovery and monitoring programs, to restore productive and vibrant commercial and recreational fisheries, good water quality, and sustainable working landscapes. Caltrout built deij into our partnerships, project development, and internal practices for hiring and retention, and emphasized partnerships with tribal and other marginalized or minority serving programs. This region's efforts included work to move the dams in eel river and the cedar creek hatchery, estuary restoration on the eel river, the mad river, the redwood creek estuary and developing new tools to guide habitat restoration. Other efforts included work on the endangered species act and the elk river recovery and community stewardship program (clean water act), caltrout also worked on the smith river, the redwood and prairie creek public land partnerships, and the bull creek humboldt redwoods state park public land partnerships, as well as developing a scientific framework for species recovery on the north cost and continued participation in policy development linking water management to species protection for robust protection of salmon and steelhead.
All other programs: sierra, bay area, central valley, sacramento, mt. Lassen