Lahontan cutthroat trout (LCT) are a federally listed threatened species under the endangered species act of 1973

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the Endangered Species Recovery Implementation program (CFDA 15.657), awarded a $164,350 Cooperative Agreement to the Nevada Department of Wildlife. The funds will be used to generate feasibility assessments and design alternatives for constructing fish passage barriers and irrigation diversion structures to protect the federally threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout. Specific deliverables include:

• Evaluation of the feasibility and design alternatives for a fish passage barrier on lower Maggie Creek
• Design alternatives for a fish-friendly irrigation structure on McAfee Creek
• Design alternatives to rebuild an existing irrigation diversion dam on the North Fork Humboldt River with an integrated fish trap
• If additional funds remain, an evaluation of the potential to construct a fish passage structure on the South Fork Little Humboldt River.

These projects aim to prevent non-native fish from encroaching into areas occupied by the Lahontan cutthroat trout, reducing predation, competition, and hybridization - key threats to the recovery of this threatened species. The award period runs from April 2024 through December 2026.

The historic and current range of the fish covers large areas of northern nevada- the northern portion of the eastern sierra nevada mountains of california- and a small portion in southeastern oregon. LCT populations have been in decline for many years and face a variety of threats including extended drought periods- land uses that degrade riparian and aquatic habitats- competition with non-native fish- and hybridization with non-native trout. There is a governance structure in place to assist with decision making- resource allocation- developing and supporting management guidance- amongst other needs that may arise from managing and recovering a listed species. The funds will be used to generate fish passage barrier feasibility assessments for the south fork little humboldt river (SFLHR) and maggie creek to determine if IT is feasible- cost effective to install fish barriers on these streams- and fish passage structure design alternatives. Installing fish barriers on these streams will prevent non-native fish from moving into areas occupied by LCT which will reduce predation- competition- and hybridization with LCT. Funding will also be used to create design alternative plans for rebuilding an irrigation diversion fish barrier with associated fish trap on the north fork humboldt river (NFHR) this will also prevent non-native fish from moving into areas occupied by LCT which will reduce predation- competition- and hybridization with LCT. Also- these funds will be used to acquire appropriate environment permits and design alternative plans for an irrigation diversion with fish passage capabilities on mcafee creek increasing connectivity of existing and future LCT populations. A fish friendly irrigation diversion will result in creating a large interconnect LCT population in the NFHR. All of these projects will help meet the objectives outlined in the 2019 updated goals and objectives for the conservation of lahontan cutthroat trout. Funding for the installation of these project will be acquired once design plans are received- because IT is not known how much IT will cost to construct these structures. The feasibility assessments and the fish barrier and passage structure designs are need to help determine the cost to construct these structures so other funding can be acquired. In summary- the expected deliverables will be: evaluation of a fish passage barrier can be constructed and design alternatives on lower maggie creek- design alternatives for a fish friendly irrigation structure on mcafee creek- design alternatives of rebuilding and existing irrigation diversion DAM on the north fork humboldt river with integrated fish trap to manually move LCT over the DAM during spawning movement periods- and if extra funding remains evaluating the potential of constructing a fish passage structure and design alternatives on the SFLHR in the general vicinity of the little humboldt ranch upstream to the WSA boundary. The intended beneficiaries will be lands administered by the bureau of land management- associated private landowners in these stream systems- along with nevada department of wildlife and fish and wildlife service for meeting LCT recovery objectives for the humboldt management unit.