Climate change is driving record-setting droughts, uncontrolled wildfires, and extreme temperatures, all of which jeopardize our water security. At CalTrout, we believe in taking proactive measures to safeguard our watersheds. Waiting until the damage is done is not an option – the time to act is now. Fortunately, we have a powerful tool at our disposal: the Outstanding National Resource Waters (Outstanding Waters) designation.
After years of studies, campaign building, and advocacy, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Board approved CalTrout’s request to designate Elder Creek and Cedar Creek as Outstanding Waters, the first step in the official designation process. Over the next few months, our experts will be collaborating closely with the Board to secure these critical protections – an important step towards ensuring water security for all Californians, people, and wildlife.
A Powerful Tool for Protection
The Outstanding Waters designation is a potent yet underutilized tool in our conservation toolbox offering robust protection for waters of exceptional cultural, recreational, or ecological value. It safeguards against degradation while preserving existing land use practices, Tribal and cultural actions, and future restoration work.
While many states have enthusiastically embraced this designation, California – home to one of the world's largest water systems – has lagged behind. Currently, only two bodies of water in the state, Lake Tahoe and Mono Lake, enjoy this protected status. That's why CalTrout has joined forces with the CalWild, Trout Unlimited, and Pew Charitable Trusts to champion vital protections through the Outstanding Waters designation for our most critical water resources.
Identifying Key Tributaries in California
Working closely with our partners, CalTrout identified two key tributaries in the upper South Fork of the Eel River that are prime candidates for the Outstanding Waters designation: Elder Creek and Cedar Creek. Both waterways are home to at-risk salmon and steelhead populations and have been recognized by the Bureau of Land Management for their outstanding scenery, fish, geology, ecology, and/or science research values. The proposed Outstanding Waters designation applies to Cedar Creek, North Fork Cedar Creek, Little Cedar Creek, and other tributaries and wetlands on public lands.
Elder Creek is one of the most studied stream segments in California, if not the world. It also flows through one of the largest continuous tracts of undeveloped coastal conifer forest remaining in California. Cedar Creek is equally important, providing habitat for the threatened northern spotted owl and nurturing rare plant species in its unique serpentine soils. The geology of this area naturally stores water and provides critical cold-water recharge to the South Fork Eel Wild & Scenic River.
CalTrout is working tirelessly to secure the Outstanding Waters designations for these vital ecosystems to guarantee that our most treasured places stay as special and healthy as they are now for generations to come.
From Local Waters to Statewide Impact – CalTrout's Holistic Approach
Ensuring water security and ecosystem restoration requires coordinated efforts across local, state, and federal levels, combining policy initiatives, on-the-ground conservation work, and community engagement.
“Outstanding Waters designation is a powerful tool and it's just one piece of a larger puzzle,” says Redgie Collins, CalTrout’s Legal and Policy Director. “Here at CalTrout, we recognize that conservation is not possible without policy. Our goals are to build climate resilient communities and ecosystems, and this demands a multifaceted approach.”
That's why we're deeply involved in California's ambitious 30x30 initiative, which aims to conserve 30% of the state's lands and coastal waters by 2030. Our work involves strategic planning, forging partnerships, and implementing projects that will restore biodiversity, expand public access to nature, and bolster our resilience to climate change.
On the national stage, CalTrout is proud to be an inaugural member of the America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge – a White House initiative dedicated to safeguarding the nation's freshwater resources. Alongside over 160 partners, we've committed to a bold goal: protecting, restoring, and reconnecting 8 million acres of wetlands and 100,000 miles of rivers and streams by 2030.
Join the Fight for California's Water Future
As we continue our work to secure this vital safeguard for Elder Creek, Cedar Creek, and beyond, we invite you to join us in this crucial mission. With 75% of our state's water originating north of Sacramento, protecting these resources is not just an environmental imperative – it's essential for the future of our entire state.
Complete the form below to be added to our volunteer database, with options to choose your interest areas and availability. You’ll be added to our volunteer mailing list and notified when there are opportunities in your region. Commitment levels vary, with some opportunities requiring more in depth training, while others you only need to show up.
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Thank you for your interest in Big Chico Creek and the Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project! We looking forward to sharing project updates, news, and stories with you from the Big Chico Creek watershed as they develop.
Thank you for your interest in Big Chico Creek and the Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project! One of our staff members will do their best to get back to you as soon as possible. However, please note that due to limited capacity we may not be able to respond to all questions or fulfill all requests.
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Thank you for your interest in the Elk River! One of our North Coast Region staff members will do their best to get back to you as soon as possible. However, please note that due to limited capacity we may not be able to respond to all questions or fulfill all requests.
Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.