Walker River

The East Walker River drains about 1,230 square miles and is about 70 miles long. The headwaters are above the town of Bridgeport rising from snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada (near the northeast boundary of Yosemite National Park).

The West Walker River encompasses approximately 964 square miles and runs about 79 miles to its confluence with the East Walker River. The rivers are fed primarily by snowmelt from the Sierras north of Yosemite National Park in the Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest, and secondarily from water originating from thermal springs.

The East and West Walker Rivers join into the Walker River and flow into Walker Lake in Nevada.

Historically, the rivers hosted Lahontan cutthroat and Paiute cutthroat trout. The rivers are impacted by water diversion, poor infrastructure and sedimentation. Opportunities exist to assess the rivers and to improve and restore habitat.

Related Projects: Eastern Sierra Region Water ManagementEast Walker River ImprovementsWalker River Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Preservation

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