Friday July 24, 2026
CalTrout —
Channel straightening, historic grazing, road and trail encroachment, and unmanaged recreation have left it incised three to four feet in places, cut off from the meadows and groundwater it once nourished and leaving it increasingly vulnerable to wildfire. It is no longer functioning as a thriving piece of the global biodiversity powerhouse that is the Eastern Sierra. The good news is that research has demonstrated that this ecosystem is highly redeemable, and CalTrout and partners are committed to making that happen.
A 2009 technical assessment by Stillwater Sciences pinpointed nearly thirty high-potential restoration sites along Mammoth Creek, and CalTrout has spent years since building the relationships and groundwork needed to act on that science. Now, with strong momentum and committed partners, we have a rare chance to restore fluvial, meadow, riparian, and recreational function in one integrated effort — rather than piecing it together site by site. The scale of this project is huge. With the potential to touch over 100 acres of the Mammoth Creek watershed, this is one of the most ambitious integrated restoration efforts CalTrout has taken on in the region.