When people speak of the Eastern Sierra they commonly mean the plateau around Mono Lake and the Owens Valley. In this high desert region can be found some of the state's most sought-after trout angling. Hot Creek, Walker River, Carson River, Owens River and Golden Trout Creek and many more waterways host rainbows and browns as well as Lahontan cutthroat, Kern River rainbows and our state fish - the California golden trout.

The Eastern Sierra and CalTrout go way back. Our precedent-setting lawsuits in 1989 and 1990 (CalTrout 1 and 2 in legal circles) not only saved Mono Lake and the valuable feeder streams that nourish it, but helped establish the reputation of California Trout in the region and throughout the state.

The region, however, remains imperiled from a variety of sources including logging, grazing and, more urgently, development.

Pressure is building from local businesses (and not so local businesses like the giant Canadian developer InterWest) to rapidly expand the region's ski resorts and enlarge its airport to accommodate 747's filled with tourists.

CalTrout recently filed a legal petition to protect the Owens Valley's streams from over-appropriation by ambitious developers.

CalTrout has also worked to secure protection for the Sierra's trout streams and lakes through the Department of Fish and Game's Wild Trout and Heritage Trout programs, the Golden Trout Program and as a local advocate.

Although we've been active in the area since our inception, we just recently opened an Eastern Sierra office in Mammoth to help us help the regions wild fish.

Eastern Sierra Manager:
Mark Drew
PO Box 3442
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
760-924-1008
mdrew@caltrout.org

Project 1: Managing Water Resources of Inyo and Mono Counties

Goal

• Protect the water resources necessary for sustaining healthy populations of wild and native trout and the habitats that support them throughout Mono and Inyo Counties and beyond
• Establish CalTrout as a primary stakeholder involved with water resources in eastern California and throughout the Sierra Nevada

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Successfully complete drafting and approval of the Inyo-Mono Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (2010)
2. By end of 2010, implementation of the Inyo-Mono Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP)
3. Via IRWMP-Prop 84 secure funding for priority projects (projects are yet to be determined) (2011+)

Project 2: Mammoth Basin Project

Goal

• Maintain Healthy aquatic systems for the benefit of the Mammoth Basin

Conservation Objective(s):

1. Protect fisheries in Mammoth Creek and Hot Creek
   1. Ensure provisions regarding minimum bypass flows in Caltrout, MCWD & DFG Settlement Agreement are chosen as approved project within Mammoth Creek EIR (2010)
   2. Collaborate with MCWD and DFG to establish and govern a Fisheries Enhancement Fund as described in Settlement Agreement (2010-2011)
2. Improve urban water conservation for the Town of Mammoth Lakes (2010-2011)
3. Seek and achieve full appropriation designation of water resources in the Mammoth Lakes Basin (2010-2011)

Project 3: Mono Basin Project:

Goal

• Protect and improve fisheries and supporting habitats in the Mono Basin

Conservation Objective(s):

1. Restoration of ecosystem processes1 of Rush and Lee Vining Creeks associated with (2010-2011):
   1. Riparian and waterfowl habitats and
   2. Geomorphic processes
2. Improvement of fish population size and condition factors in Rush and Lee Vining Creeks by at least 10% by 2012
3. Achieve in-stream flows associated with FERC settlement to Mill Creek (2010-1011)

Footnote: 1 - Ecosystem processes and restoration of Rush and Lee Vining Creeks as defined in Decision 1631 and Orders 98-05 and 98-07 and final agreement on Termination Criteria

Project 4: Upper Owens River Protection

Goal

• Protect wild trout populations in the Upper Owens River Basin

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Through education and outreach efforts, reduce primary threats impacting the Upper Owens trout fisheries (2010)
2. Facilitate the formation of the Eastern Sierra Fishing Guides Association (2010)

Project 5.1: Imperiled Trout: Golden Trout Wilderness Project

Goal

• Protect and restore three of the four most threatened native species populations and the habitats supporting them in the South Sierra

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Continued implementation of the Ca Golden Trout Conservation Agreement
2. Eliminate cattle grazing, or help develop and implement sustainable grazing practices on the Kern Plateau by end of 2010
3. Identify genetic distribution and implementation of genetics management plan for Ca. Golden, Little Kern Golden and Kern River Rainbow trout (2010)
4. Increase public awareness by at least 100 persons and participate in wild trout conservation programs relevant to the Kern Plateau (2010)
5. Improve scientific capacity to manage natural resources through implementation of annual internship program (annual)

Project 5.2: Imperiled Trout: Meadow Restoration for California Golden Trout Project (117C)

Goal

• Through successful meadows restoration, protect the genetic integrity, abundance and natural habitat of California Golden Trout

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Restore key habitat and ecological processes supporting California Golden Trout and other native fish species

Project 6: Aquatic Species Conservation Strategies Project

Goal

• To ensure long-term viability of aquatic resources within US National Forests

Conservation Objective(s)

1. Develop Conservation Strategies for native trout in the Sierra Nevada and at least 3 Conservation Strategies for other resident aquatic species (2010)
2. Ensure revised National Forest Management Plans adequately address needs of target aquatic species (2010-2011)