The high mountain lakes are 33 reservoirs located within the mountain ranges surrounding scott valley, and many within three wilderness areas, the marbles, russians, and trinity mountain wildernesses

These reservoirs are naturally existing, however outflow and maintenance structures were constructed in the early 1900 s by hand prior to the wilderness act. After construction of the outflow and maintenance structures, these reservoirs were utilized for irrigation and or hydraulic mining. Many of the constructed structures were later destroyed during the 1964 floods and were not repaired afterwards as they were no longer being actively used for irrigation or mining. The reservoirs currently continue to fill through natural inflow, however outflow is no longer maintained and storage capacity as a result of the damaged maintenance structures has decreased. For several decades the use of the reservoirs has come up in discussion for potential in stream flow benefits. These discussions have centered around the possibility of storing winter precipitation and inflow to be later utilized to supplement stream and river flows during critical salmon migration, ideally july september. Proponents of repairing the high mountain lakes to enhance summer flows for salmonids have agreed that all stored water would be utilized solely for in stream benefits. IT is estimated that the 33 reservoirs could provide upwards of 3,520 acre feet of additional flow to the tributaries to scott river and the main stem scott river, however in depth analysis is needed to verify this information.as some of the reservoirs are located in three different wildernesses legislation may be needed to allow for their repair and use. The marble mountain wilderness may be the most restrictive as IT was established under the original 1964 act and designated as a primitive area in 1935. However, these reservoirs were altered and used prior to the wilderness act, and this will be helpful in any potential legislation. The proposed project will provide clear and defined information on the effort and resources needed, and benefits of, restoring the high mountain lakes, and will define a clear path forward to accomplishing their restoration. The future utilization of the high mountain lakes could provide a dependable supply of up to, or more than, 3,520 acre feet of cold, clean water to the tributaries to the scott river and the scott river main stem. Such supply of cold, clean water would aide in resolving long standing issues for salmon fisheries during late summer months.