The lake county umbrella watershed council will develop restoration project designs to benefit the native chewaucan redband trout across 13 tributaries of the upper chewaucan river, near the town of…

The Lake County Umbrella Watershed Council received a $967,781 Project Grant award from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation under the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program (CFDA 15.580) on July 17, 2025, with a completion date of December 31, 2027. The award funds the development of restoration project designs to benefit the native Chewaucan redband trout across 13 tributaries of the upper Chewaucan River near Paisley, Oregon. Specifically, the council will complete design and engineering for fish passage barrier culvert replacement, irrigation diversion modifications for fish passage, aquatic and riparian habitat complexity enhancements, rangeland enhancement, and burned uplands restoration efforts.

The project addresses significant ecological degradation resulting from persistent drought, historic grazing practices, infrastructure development, and catastrophic wildfires that have burned over 60 percent of the watershed since 2018. The Chewaucan redband trout population has been excluded from 71 percent of its historic range due to passage barriers. The Lake County Umbrella Watershed Council will execute this multi-tiered restoration design initiative in close collaboration with the Upper Chewaucan Partnership, which includes the Lakeview Soil and Water Conservation District, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and private landowners, thereby advancing aquatic habitat recovery and population resilience throughout the upper Chewaucan watershed.

The lake county umbrella watershed council will develop restoration project designs to benefit the native chewaucan redband trout across 13 tributaries of the upper chewaucan river, near the town of paisley, oregon, in the south-central part of the state. Ecological processes in the chewaucan watershed have been harmed by persistent drought, historic grazing practices, road and irrigation infrastructure, and catastrophic fires, which have burned over sixty percent of the watershed since 2018. The endemic chewaucan redband trout has been especially devastated by these challenges, and due to the presence of barriers, are excluded from seventy one percent of their historic range in the northern great basin and columbia plateau. To address these concerns and open additional cold-water habitat to the trout, the council will complete design and engineering for actions to replace fish passage barrier culverts, modify irrigation diversions for fish passage, increase aquatic and riparian habitat complexity, enhance rangeland, and restore burned uplands. Through this multi-tiered approach, the council will accelerate aquatic habitat recovery from recent fires and increase redband trout population resilience throughout the upper chewaucan watershed. The council will carry-out the project in close collaboration with the other members of the upper chewaucan partnership, which includes the lakeview soil and water conservation district, the U.S. Forest service, U.S. Bureau of land management, oregon department of fish and wildlife, and private landowners.