Across the Western United States of America, trout habitat such as streams and rivers is being increasingly affected by climate change. The restoration efforts highlighted here have taken whole-landscape approaches, including restoring headwater meadows and wetlands, riparian habitat and floodplain areas. 

Nature-based Intervention:

Maggie Creek, Nevada; Crow Creek, Idaho; and Wasson Creek, Montana have made efforts at riparian restoration to benefit local trout populations. In order to mitigate the effects of warmer temperatures, streams were shaded by restored riparian trees and the number and size of deep pools were reportedly increased. Headwater meadows and wetlands were restored in order to keep flows in headwaters longer, serving to mitigate the effect of earlier peak flows. Natural meanders were restored and recreated, slowing the flow of water, reducing sedimentation and bank erosion and recharging aquifers which help to mitigate the effects of increasing summer droughts. Large burn-resistant wet zones along the streams were created to reduce the impact of wildfires by increasing the width and lushness of riparian areas and by introducing beavers that help create wetlands. Floodplains were restored and reconnected to riparian zones, in order to reduce the damage caused by winter floods. Lastly, other sources of stress which can compound the effects of climate change were reduced through improved livestock management near riparian zones and restructuring dams that were barriers to fish migration helping to reconnecting trout populations to improve their resilience.

Overview of context and outcomes:

Climate change, compounded by other human-induced disturbances such as livestock grazing and channel straightening, has had and will continue to have negative effects on trout populations. Warmer water temperatures in summer months, earlier peak flows, decreasing summer flows, increased incidences of wildfires, and winter flooding are climatic changes that have been documented in the streams and rivers in the Western USA, and which have harmful effects on trout populations.