CalTrout On Keeping Sáttítla National Monument Wild
As his one-term administration wound down, President Joe Biden designed several public-land areas for national monument protection, including a rugged stretch of the northeast corner of Northern California land that will be known as Sáttítla Highlands National Monument.
California Trout has worked on projects pertaining to securing protection for the region. Here’s a sample via the CalTrout website:
The Pit River Tribe’s extensive restoration work and advocacy throughout their territory has enhanced fisheries and water resources that serve not just their people, but many Californians, by supporting recreational opportunities to providing clean water and hydroelectric power for communities downstream. The campaign to establish Sáttítla Highlands National Monument builds on their legacy of environmental stewardship benefitting various communities.
The campaign worked hard to bring information about the monument and region to as many interested parties as possible. Locally, the process led to a public listening session where community members shared their perspectives on the potential monument designation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Overall, there was overwhelming support at the listening session, and we saw an outpouring of local business support for the monument including fly fishing guide services and fly shops who serve the Fall River and Upper Sacramento. In a culmination of the campaign, on January 15th, CalTrout had the privilege of attending an event at the White House to honor the conservation legacy of former President Joe Biden and to witness him sign Sáttítla Highlands and Chuckwalla National Monuments into designation by presidential proclamation, protecting them permanently against resource extraction.
The unique hydrology of this region had been drawing CalTrout’s attention, and in partnership with California Department of Fish and Wildlife, CSU East Bay, UC Davis, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CalTrout launched a new scientific study of source waters in the Cascade Range during the summer of 2023, including research locations in Sáttítla. The goal of the study is to gain a deeper understanding of how springs function. Specifically, we were looking for insight into how these water sources might offer climate resilience strategies, as spring-fed rivers maintain more stable flows during drought compared to those dependent on rainfall or snowmelt. Spring waters that emerge from the volcanic rocks of Northern California’s Cascade Range are of critical importance for water security for both fish and people, yet relatively little is known about them and how they have been affected by recent drought and other climate change impacts.
Synchronistically, CalTrout had the opportunity to join the emerging national monument campaign to protect Sáttítla permanently in late 2023, just months after the launch of this study. The campaign, led by the Pit River Tribe, aligned with CalTrout’s mission to protect vital watersheds while honoring indigenous leadership in conservation.