Water is the lifeblood of California.

And every community deserves access to the benefits healthy rivers provide. When we restore rivers and watersheds, we strengthen the natural water infrastructure that provides clean water, reduces flood risk, supports farms and fisheries, and builds the water security every Californian depends on.

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Photo: Emily Titus

Why this matters now

California’s water is under unprecedented pressure.

Water fuels California’s farms, fills our taps, sustains our wild places and wildlife, and shapes the identity of communities across the state. But climate change, aging infrastructure, and decades of land use decisions have left the natural systems that collect, store, and filter our water less able to meet California’s growing needs.

Long before reservoirs, canals, and pipelines, healthy watersheds captured snowmelt, filtered water, recharged groundwater, reduced floods, and sustained rivers through dry seasons. Today, those natural systems remain some of California’s most important water infrastructure.

Protecting water for fish and protecting water for people are not separate goals — they are the same goal. The rivers that support California’s wild fish are the same rivers that fill reservoirs, recharge aquifers, irrigate farmland, and flow from taps across the state.

Salmon, steelhead, and trout are among the best indicators of watershed health. Where fish thrive, rivers are functioning. Where they struggle, the water systems that communities depend on are under stress. Restoring rivers is one of the smartest investments California can make — for healthy ecosystems, reliable water supplies, and the people who depend on both. What’s good for fish is good for all of us.

CalTrout is Securing California’s Water Future

60%

of California’s domestic water supply originates in the Sierra Nevada headwaters

40-60%

of high Sierra meadows are degraded, reducing natural water storage

7.6M

Acres of watershed served by CalTrout efforts

200+

Miles that water may travel to reach your tap

Water for everyone

Healthy rivers are essential for healthy communities.

Across California, some communities have been disproportionately affected by degraded rivers, poor water quality, and climate change. That’s why CalTrout considers community benefits alongside ecological outcomes in every restoration project. We ask how a project will improve water security, reduce climate risks, expand access to nature, and strengthen the places people call home.

From restoring habitat on the North Coast through the Prairie Creek Floodplain Restoration Project at O’Rew to advancing collaborative solutions in the Eel River watershed, we work alongside Tribes, local communities, landowners, farmers, and public agencies to create outcomes that benefit both people and the environment.

JOURNEY THROUGH THE RIVER

Restoring California’s natural water infrastructure

Every drop of water begins a journey. From forests, meadows, and springs to rivers, floodplains, estuaries, and eventually the ocean. CalTrout works to restore each part of that connected system to ensure all Californians have access to and can benefit from healthy rivers.

Protecting Headwaters

Healthy headwaters are California’s natural water infrastructure. Forests, meadows, and springs capture snow and rain, filter water, recharge groundwater, and release cold, clean water throughout the year. Together, these connected landscapes support wild fish while supplying much of the water that farms, cities, and communities depend on. CalTrout restores and protects headwater ecosystems to build a more resilient water future for California.

I-5 Trabuco Drone Still I-5 Trabuco barrier looking upstream

Reopening Rivers

Healthy rivers move more than water — they connect ecosystems, communities, and the places Californians rely on. When dams, undersized culverts, and other barriers disrupt a river’s natural flow, they also interrupt the movement of fish, sediment, nutrients, and water through the watershed. CalTrout reopens rivers by removing barriers and restoring natural processes, helping improve water quality, strengthen watershed resilience, and support healthier rivers for people and wildlife.

Reconnecting Floodplains

Floodplains are nature’s infrastructure for managing water. When rivers reconnect to their floodplains, water spreads out naturally — recharging groundwater, reducing flood risk, and creating the food-rich habitat young salmon and steelhead need to grow. CalTrout’s floodplain restoration work helps build healthier rivers while supporting the water supplies that California communities and agriculture depend on.

A shot from above of where the Elk River estuary where it meets Humboldt Bay.

Restoring Estuaries

Healthy estuaries benefit both people and nature. Where rivers meet the ocean, these productive ecosystems improve water quality, buffer coastal communities from storms and flooding, support fisheries, and provide habitat for countless species. By restoring California’s estuaries, CalTrout is helping build healthier coasts, more resilient communities, and stronger wild fish populations.

Climate Resilience

Climate change is reshaping every part of California’s water system. Restoring healthy watersheds helps rivers better withstand drought, wildfire, floods, and changing snowpack by storing more water naturally and keeping rivers healthier through increasingly extreme conditions.