Threats

Agriculture

Impacts from agriculture include streams polluted by agricultural return water or farm effluent; reduced flow due to diversions which can affect migratory patterns; and increased silt and pesticides in streams. Marijuana grow operations, legal and illegal, were considered in this metric.

Hatcheries

Hatcheries and releases of hatchery reared salmonids into the wild can negatively impact wild populations through competition, predation, disease, and loss of fitness and genetic diversity. Hatchery influences are especially apparent to for anadromous species where dams blocked access to spawning habitat and hatcheries were established as mitigation. Inland trout can also be impacted with stocking of hatchery fish for recreation.

Major Dams

Dams block access to historical spawning and rearing habitats. Downstream, dams alter the timing, frequency, duration, magnitude, and rate of change of flows decreasing habitat quality and survival. CalTrout’s Top 6 California Dams for Removal Klamath River Dams Eel River Dams Matilija Dam Rindge Dam Searsville Dam Battle Creek Dams


Species characteristics


Conservation Actions

Conservation Strategy

How the score has changed

SOS overall score over time. Lower means greater extinction risk.


3.4

/ 7



3.1

/ 7




Where to find California Golden Trout

California Golden trout are native to the South Fork Kern River and its tributaries, Golden Trout Creek and Volcano Creek. As a result of extensive pack train collection and stocking efforts
over the last century, they can be found in nearby Cottonwood Lakes and Mulkey Creek, as
well as several watersheds in the Sierra Nevada. Expanded stocking has introduced them to
more than 300 high mountain lakes and 1,100 km (about 680 mi.) of streams outside their
native range, including in Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.

South Fork Kern

Golden Trout Creek

Volcano Creek

Cottonwood Lakes

Mulkey Creek



How This Species Scored

METRICSCOREJUSTIFICATION
Area occupied
Estimated adult abundance
Intervention dependence
Environmental tolerance
Genetic risk
Climate change
Anthropogenic threats
AverageSCORE INCOMPLETE

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