When most anglers picture a Lahontan cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi), they envision one of the giants caught this time of year from Pyramid Lake. But the subspecies’ original range is much larger, involving many small, headwater streams. Lahontan cutthroat trout (LCT) are native to the tributaries of what was once Lake Lahontan—a huge ice-age lake, of which Pyramid Lake and Lake Tahoe are remnants, in northwestern Nevada and extending into northeastern California and southern Oregon. These native waters include the drainages of the Truckee, Humboldt, Carson, Walker, and Quinn Rivers, as well as a number of smaller streams. Unfortunately, the subspecies now inhabits just a fraction of its former range, and one of the major reasons is cattle grazing along important rearing streams.
The video above, from Western Watersheds Project, illustrates the problem and discusses necessary solutions. The Bureau of Land Management state office in Nevada is currently evaluating livestock management across dozens of grazing allotments that contain critical trout habitat. The Bureau is proposing to “increase operational flexibility” for ranchers. Unfortunately, most of the proposed remedies would rely on additional infrastructure, such as water developments and fencing on public lands, rather than simply reducing livestock levels or removing grazing from LCT streams.
A small LCT from a healthy, high-mountain stream.
Western Watersheds Project has created an easy-to-use form that allows you to send a message to the Bureau of Land Management, asking them :
- Reduce or eliminate grazing in LCT streams and riparian areas.
- Mandate livestock reductions in failing allotments.
- Restore riparian habitats through natural recovery, not costly infrastructure.
- Prioritize species recovery over commercial livestock interests.
- Take decisive action to protect these vital waterways and ensure their survival.
