Western Rivers Conservancy

CONSERVED: Dunton Meadows, an iconic alpine meadow complex and key source of cold water in the headwaters of the Dolores River! WRC and the San Juan National Forest have permanently conserved the 160-acre Dunton Meadows property, a critically important wetland meadow complex that delivers clean, cold water to headwater streams of the famed Dolores River. Located high in the San Juan Mountains, the meadow collects, stores, filters and gradually releases snowmelt and stormwater into Coal Creek, a stronghold for imperiled Colorado River cutthroat trout. The subalpine meadow is also excellent habitat for Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, black bear, Canada lynx, American marten and other wildlife. Located just 25 miles outside of Telluride, the property’s sweeping, postcard-worthy views of Mount Wilson and the Lizard Head Wilderness are emblematic of what make the area so special. The property is bisected by an access road for two of Colorado’s most scenic hikes: the Navajo Lake Trail and the Kilpacker Basin Trail. Now conserved, the pristine nature of this mountain meadow and its glorious views will remain forever intact. Infinite thanks to everyone who made this project possible! Head to our website to learn more. #doloresriver #lizardheadwilderness #mountwilson #coloradorivers

What an amazing day we had with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria last week! We celebrated our joint conservation of Dillon Beach Ranch, north of San Francisco, including 1.5 miles of the Estero de San Antonio/Stemple Creek, plus nearly a mile and a half of Pacific shoreline, all by returning 466 acres of ancestral lands to the Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo. In attendance were Graton Rancheria Tribal Chairman Sarris; CA Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis; Congressman Huffman; WRC president Nelson Mathews; Marin County Supervisors Dennis Rodoni, Mary Sackett and Katie Rice. Tribal citizens, WRC staff and supporters, and many others helped us celebrate. We are incredibly grateful for the work and support of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, and for the support of California Dept of Fish and Wildlife, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and everyone else who generously supported this effort. This is an incredible accomplishment for the people, fish and wildlife of Dillon Beach and beyond. Photos: WRC and Elizabeth L. Baird

CONSERVED: Over a mile of the Estero de San Antonio and a spectacular reach of Northern California coastline! WRC and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria just permanently protected the 466-acre Dillon Beach Ranch. This exciting conservation land-back project reconnects the Graton Rancheria with ancestral lands and protects rare habitat for imperiled fish and wildlife. The entire Marin coastline is known for its postcard-worthy vistas, and Dillon Beach Ranch is no exception, with its rolling green headlands, sweeping views of Bodega Bay and windswept bluff overlooking the estuary. For the tiny and endangered northern tidewater goby, the Estero de San Antonio provides vital cold-water habitat and protection from predators. The ranch is also home to colorful critters like the threatened California red-legged frog and the endangered Myrtle’s silverspot butterfly. For the Graton Rancheria, regaining ownership of Dillon Beach Ranch is an incredibly important opportunity to reconnect with ancestral lands. The estuary and surrounding areas are part of the Graton Rancheria’s historic territory and descendants are still present there today. We are thrilled to see this exquisite pocket of the NorCal coast conserved and returned to its original stewards, an outcome that ensures Dillon Beach Ranch’s irreplaceable cultural and natural resources will be forever protected. A sincere thank you to all our supporters who made this special project possible! #landback #riverconservation #dillonbeach #norcalcoast #gratonracheria #esterodesanantonio

Exciting news from central Oregon! WRC just purchased the 655-acre Paulina Meadows property, which lies at the confluence of the Little Deschutes River and Paulina Creek. The Little Deschutes is a tributary to its namesake, the legendary Deschutes River, and Paulina Creek flows from Paulina Lake, which is located in the crater of an extinct volcano in the Newberry National Monument. Conserving riverland just about anywhere in the Deschutes River basin is important for fish, but what’s really special about this place is FROGS! Our efforts will be game changing for the federally threatened Oregon spotted frog. The nearly 1.5 mile stretch of the Little Deschutes that runs through Paulina Meadows has some of the densest occurrences of Oregon spotted frog in the entire basin. We’ll also protect a 2.3 mile stretch of Paulina Creek, ultimately completing conservation of the entire length of the stream. Stay tuned for updates! #littledeschutes #paulinacreek #oregonspottedfrog #oregonrivers

Summer is a prime time to visit Washington’s Yakima River Canyon! If you’re looking for a great river adventure, check out our handy guide to fishing, hiking, floating and camping in this scenic river canyon—where WRC worked for more than five years to conserve the spectacular Yakima Canyon Ranch.     In March 2024, we succeeded in permanently protecting the 647-acre ranch, located in the upper reaches of the 27-mile canyon, by conveying the property to the BLM. Our efforts ensure permanent public access to the Bighorn boat launch (one of the most popular access points on the entire river), conserve critical habitat for the canyon’s superb fish and wildlife and open new public access to the Bighorn and Lower Umtanum recreation areas. To know this river is truly to love it and this project gives everyone exciting new opportunities to get acquainted with the Yakima!

An ecosystem of massive importance, the Teton River basin has some of the highest biodiversity in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The basin is a major movement corridor for large mammals, and it’s home to one of the last three Yellowstone cutthroat trout strongholds. Not to mention, the Teton River itself is a favorite destination for fly anglers. All of these things make the Teton River basin a top priority for conservation. That’s why WRC set out to buy and protect the 613-acre Badger Creek Canyon Ranch, at the head of the Teton Canyon. The ranch includes 2.5 miles of Badger Creek just upstream of its confluence with the Teton River. Conserving the ranch will play a key role in efforts to recover native Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the Teton system. Our efforts will improve migration access to and from essential overwintering habitat for two to three thousand mule deer, hundreds of Rocky Mountain elk and moose. We purchased the property this month and are now working to raise the funding needed to convey it to the Bureau of Land Management. That will allow the BLM and others to work collectively to restore trout habitat and big game winter range and enhance recreational access to the spectacular Teton Canyon. Head to our website to learn more! Photo of Badger Creek: Tom and Pat Leeson

From impressively camouflaged marbled murrelets to massive condors to tiny neotropical migrants, birds come in all shapes and sizes. But one thing many of these charismatic critters have in common is their need for healthy rivers. So, for our latest installment of Eddied Out, we’ve profiled six extraordinary birds that depend on great rivers you’ve helped us protect. Among these featured flyers are species making remarkable recoveries from the brink of extinction, one whose DNA is fueling groundbreaking scientific discoveries and another whose distinctive call is etched into the folklore of the southwest.

Throwing it back to our project on Colorado’s Little Cimarron River! Nestled in the southern Rocky Mountains, the Little Cim is a top-notch trout stream cherished by fly anglers. It tumbles from the Uncompahgre Wilderness, bound for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, 33 miles to the north. Like many streams in the Rockies, however, a stretch of the Little Cimarron gets seasonally de-watered by irrigation diversions, cutting the lower river off from the upper river during the hottest months of the year. In order to keep the Little Cim flowing year-round, WRC purchased and conserved a 214-acre farm with a prime 5.76 CFS senior water right on the Little Cimarron. We then worked with Colorado Water Trust to develop the state’s first split-season irrigation plan that allowed for continued agriculture operations and ensured this stretch of the river flows year round. This was a groundbreaking project with tremendously positive impacts for fish, wildlife and local agriculture. Head to our website to learn more! Photo: Russ Schnitzer

The Yakima River Canyon is a gem for Central Washington. Theses latest efforts will help open areas to the public while enhancing conservation. "To save a river, sometimes you have to buy it,” said Nelson Mathews, vice president of Western Rivers Conservancy. Good work everyone. https://lnkd.in/gstfCQ7x

It’s Endangered Species Day! Today, we’re taking a minute to recognize the fragility of endangered plants and animals and celebrate the work being done to protect those species and the places they call home. Rivers are the lifelines that so many endangered species depend on. Here in the West, WRC has worked on 250 rivers and streams to conserve outstanding riverland habitat for fish and wildlife. These are just a handful of endangered and threatened species that our work has helped: - Myrtle’s silverspot butterfly (working to conserve 466 acres along California’s Estero de San Antonio) - Marbled murrelet (old-growth forest conserved at Washington’s Willapa Bay) - Bull trout (619 acres conserved along Idaho’s Pole Creek) - Desert tortoise (1,640 acres conserved along California’s Mojave River) - Oregon spotted frog (working to conserve 655 acres along Oregon’s Little Deschutes River) - Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Salmon (1,596 acres conserved along California’s Scott River)