Northern Sierra Region

The Northern Sierras exemplify California beauty. Millions of people visit this area each year to enjoy the splendor and recreational opportunities.

The Northern Sierra region is home to some of CA’s biggest trout

Beyond its beauty, the Northern Sierra is home to some of the most important and diverse watersheds in California. The Truckee and Carson Rivers, the tributaries of Lake Tahoe and other ecologically significant waterways provide unique habitats for a variety of native trout species, including the Lahontan and Paiute cutthroat trout and the Mountain whitefish. These terminal watersheds (they do not flow to the ocean) are also unique as they originated from ancient Lake Lahontan, a vast inland sea during the Pleistocene epoch.

The rivers and creeks on the western slopes provide water to 65% of California. But, the pressures from recreation, growing population, demand for natural resources and climate change are overpowering the area’s ability to rejuvenate itself and straining the region’s fragile trout, steelhead and salmon.

CalTrout’s Northern Sierra Office is focused on:

Supporting the Lahontan cutthroat trout recovery back to its native range within the Tahoe Basin and Truckee River watersheds
Restoring the Paiute cutthroat trout to its native waters of Silver King Creek
Supporting enhanced research of local fisheries and their habitats
Building a stronger voice for fisheries conservation in the region