Our Approach
Science.
Partnership. Action.
California’s rivers face unprecedented challenges. Climate change, habitat loss, aging infrastructure, and competing demands for water are reshaping the landscapes that wild fish and communities depend on. Solving these challenges takes more than good ideas — it takes the science to understand what rivers need, the partnerships to bring solutions to life, and the determination to move from vision to action.
Built on science
We Lead with Science
Science is the foundation of everything we do.
California’s rivers are complex systems. Understanding how they function — and how they’re changing — is essential to creating solutions that last. That’s why we run a dedicated Science Program: producing the only decadal assessment of every native salmonid in California and one of the most comprehensive salmon monitoring efforts in the West, active right now on the Klamath River.
Science doesn’t just inform our work — it decides where we work. It’s what tells us which barriers are worth removing, which streams are worth restoring, and which policy fights are worth taking on.
Science guides our work to
- Advance understanding of California’s native fish and watersheds
- Design and evaluate the restoration projects that reopen rivers and restore streams
- Inform the policy decisions that protect them
driven by collaboration
We Collaborate Powerfully
Healthy rivers depend on people working together.
California’s rivers are complex systems. Understanding how they function — and how they’re changing — is essential to creating solutions that last. That’s why we run a dedicated Science Program: producing the only decadal assessment of every native salmonid in California and one of the most comprehensive salmon monitoring efforts in the West, active right now on the Klamath River.
Science doesn’t just inform our work — it decides where we work. It’s what tells us which barriers are worth removing, which streams are worth restoring, and which policy fights are worth taking on.
Partnerships strengthen our work to
- Reopen rivers and remove barriers to fish passage
- Restore streams, floodplains, and critical habitats
- Advocate for the policies that make those wins last
taking action
We Get It Done
Rivers cannot wait.
Science tells us where to act. Partnerships make action possible. This is where it becomes real. CalTrout is known for moving ambitious ideas from concept to completion. Across the state, that means reopening rivers by removing the dams and barriers that cut off fish migration, restoring streams from headwaters to estuaries so every link in the chain functions again, and advocating for the policies and protections — from the Endangered Species Act to water budgets — that safeguard those gains for good.
We secure funding, navigate complex processes, and track results — because we focus on measurable outcomes, not just plans.
We get it done by
- Reopening rivers by removing dams and barriers to fish migration
- Restoring streams and floodplains from headwaters to estuaries
- Advocating for the policy that makes lasting change stick
Our approach in action
This is what these three commitments look like on the ground.
Five focuses, one mission.
01
Reopen Rivers
Removing the dams and barriers that cut off fish migration.
We restore streambanks, floodplains, riparian corridors, and in-stream habitat — the full suite of conditions that allow rivers to function naturally and support life from source to sea.
02
Restore & Protect Streams
Restoring every link in the chain, from headwaters to estuaries.
We restore streambanks, floodplains, riparian corridors, and in-stream habitat — the full suite of conditions that allow rivers to function naturally and support life from source to sea.
03
Advance Science
The assessments and monitoring that tell us where to focus.
Healthy fish populations Our Science Program produces the only decadal assessment of every native salmonid in California — and one of the most comprehensive salmon monitoring programs in the West — so every decision we make is grounded in the best available evidence.
04
Advocate & Shape Policy
The legal and legislative work that protects the gains.
From the Endangered Species Act to state water budgets, we fight for the policies and protections that make field wins permanent — shaping the regulatory and legislative environment so rivers have a fighting chance for good.
05
Build Partnerships
The coalitions of Tribal Nations, landowners, agencies, and communities that make all of it possible.
No single organization can protect California’s rivers alone. We build and sustain the coalitions — Tribal Nations, landowners, agencies, universities, anglers, and communities — that give restoration the reach and legitimacy to succeed at scale.
Our Beliefs
Our beliefs are the deeply held convictions that underpin the approach to our work.
They represent our collective wisdom, experience, and understanding of the world around us. Grounded in optimism and a commitment to continuous learning, our beliefs drive us forward, even in the face of adversity.
50 Years of Impact
For more than 50 years, CalTrout has brought about real lasting change to restore California’s rivers and protect the wild fish, flowing rivers, and healthy ecosystems that benefit us all.
Join Us
A future where native salmon and trout thrive is possible — and worth building.
Every reconnected river, every restored stream, every policy win starts with people who believe this future is worth building. Join us.