California Trout On Protecting Lahontan Cutthroat Trout In Eastern Sierra Creeks

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and California Trout are collaborating on an Eastern Sierra project to help protect native Lahontan cutthroat trout. Here’s more from CalTrout:

The Lahontan Cutthroat trout (LCT) is a species whose survival hangs in a delicate balance and is an important focal point in our broader conservation efforts. In the West Walker Basin, we’ve launched an intensive invasive species removal project in Silver and Slinkard creeks in partnership with California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) that represents a critical intervention for these endangered fish. 

The project was ambitious from the start. We assembled a dedicated seasonal crew of five who worked alongside California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) field teams to tackle over 10 miles of Silver Creek. Their approach was meticulous and physically demanding (requiring frequent bushwacking to reach the stream): using dewatering techniques and electrofishing to remove non-native brook trout. The team completed five eight-day intensive field hitches, setting up advanced environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring to track both native LCT and invasive brook trout populations. 

Slinkard Creek presented its own unique challenges and opportunities. Once a ranching area, the creek showed significant signs of anthropogenic degradation, including massive head cutting from construction of Highway 89. Head cutting simply refers to a process of erosion in streams or river. However, this site emerged as ideal for restoration—a spring-fed, drought-resistant stream within the native LCT range that could serve as a critical cold-water refuge in our changing climate. Similarly to our physically demanding Silver Creek project, our eight-member field team worked hand-in-hand with CDFW this year to dewater and electrofish in Slinkard Creek.