Golden Trout In The Crosshairs
The Kern Plateau and the Golden Trout that reside there are in the news this month as the impacts of cattle grazing are being looked at.
The Golden Trout Wilderness Area contains four grazing allotments; two have been retired for the past ten years and two are currently being grazed.
At issue is whether and under what conditions grazing may continue. Data to support a decision based on a yet to be completed NEPA is still being collected and reviewed.
CalTrout is one of the stakeholders in the process, which could prove to be contentious.
A facilitated meeting will be held to see if the various parties (CalTrout, Forest Service, TU, off-road enthusiasts, ranchers, etc) can collaborate on a solution prior to invoking a more contentious process.
Mammoth Watershed News
The Upper Owens Watershed Assessment Project identifies non-point sources of pollution in the Mammoth Basin Watershed. Obviously, threats to water quality equal threats to fisheries, which is why CalTrout is the project lead with partners including, American Rivers, Inyo Mono National Forest, the Mammoth Community Water District and others.
We’re developing a monitoring plan (sampling and analysis) for a two-year study. The main goal of the project is to identify threats to water quality and develop management recommendations to mitigate them.
