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Forest Health
Lake Tahoe EIP

Restoration/Recovery of Lahontan Cutthroat Trout in the Upper Truckee Watershed

Project Number
02.02.03.0005
Action Priority
Restore and Protect Native Fish and Wildlife
Implementers
U.S. Forest Service - Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Primary Contact
Sarah Muskopf (sarah.muskopf@usda.gov)
Stage
Implementation
Duration
2009 - 2030
Forest Restoration Program Restore and Protect Native Fish and Wildlife
This project will restore Lahontan cutthroat trout (LCT) habitat in the Upper Truckee River and facilitate natural range expansion of the existing LCT population by manually removing non-native trout. Upon completion, this project will provide 17.5 miles of stream and 100 lake acres for this federally threatened species and be the largest interconnected habitat for LCT in the Sierra's. With partner funding, LTBMU staff began implementation of a new method in 2023 to improve effectiveness and efficiency of treatment methods in the project area.

Key Accomplishments

  • Acres of Habitat Restored or Enhanced: 21.6 acres
  • Linear Feet of Stream Channel Restored or Enhanced: 52,288 lf
  • Special Status Species Sites Protected or Re-Established: 16

Threshold Categories

  • Fisheries
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (Timing: During) (~1,187 KB) Credit: LTBMU Lahontan Cutthroat Trout

Location

Expenditures

Expenditures by Funding Source to Date: $1,477,488
(Estimated Cost: $2,500,000)
Lake Tahoe Restoratio... (USFS - LTBMU): $235,115

Southern Nevada Publi... (USFS - LTBMU): $592,891

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servi... (USFWS): $39,700

U.S. Forest Service (USFS - LTBMU): $140,000

California Department of Fish... (CDFW): $372,892

California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC): $45,000

Trout Unlimited (TU): $51,890

Photos

During
Non-native brook trout (Timing: During) (~669 KB) Credit: LTBMU
Non-native brook trout
Stream habitat within the expansion area (Timing: During) (~2,313 KB) Credit: LTBMU
Stream habitat within the expansion area
Stream miles and lake acres needing additional implementation (Timing: During) (~117 KB) Credit: LTBMU
Stream miles and lake acres needing additional implementation
Expansion area (yellow) and completed restored area in Meiss meadow (green) (Timing: During) (~114 KB) Credit: LTBMU
Expansion area (yellow) and completed restored area in Meiss meadow (green)
Implementation of the dewatering method: Diversion dam and poly-pipe in the Showers Tributary for the LCT recovery. (Timing: During) (~1,488 KB) Credit: LTBMU Aquatic crew
Implementation of the dewatering method: Diversion dam and poly-pipe in the Showers Tributary for the LCT recovery.
Learn more at restoretahoe.org
Project Fact Sheet Data as of 03/17/2026