Annual Report

Since its inception in 2006, the Western Native Trout Initiative has directed almost $7 million in federal fish habitat funds leveraged with over $57 million public and private matching dollars for 226 priority native trout conservation projects. By leveraging funding provided to WNTI by the National Fish Habitat Partnership, WNTI and over 350 partners to date, have successfully improved the status of western native trout populations in 12 western states including Alaska.  With the collaboration and coordination of WNTI Partners, together we have removed 163 barriers to fish passage, reconnected or improved 2,072 miles of native trout habitat, and placed 41 protective fish barriers to conserve important native trout conservation populations. In addition, WNTI has funded 1,123 watershed, fish population and habitat surveys and assessed 2,482 stream miles.

In 2022, WNTI and our partners funded four habitat restoration projects benefiting focal species with a total of $320,000 National Fish Habitat Partnership funds, leveraged with $790,726 in other partner contributions for a total projects value of $1,110,726.  More information about each project funded with National Fish Habitat Partnership program funds can be found here. An additional $483,500 in other grants funded an additional 10 projects.

An ongoing partnership with the Resources Legacy Fund (RLF) through their Open Rivers Fund, continued to support our ongoing work on seven projects in the Upper Bear River in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming to benefit Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, recreational fishing, and local communities and ranchers who divert water for irrigation. RLF also continued to support WNTI’s portfolio of projects in the Warner Lakes Basin in southeast Oregon to benefit Warner Lakes Redband Trout (State Sensitive and Federal Species of Concern), Warner sucker (listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act), recreational fishing, ranchers, and landowners.

Collectively, the 14 projects funded in 2022 will remove or bypass fourteen barriers to restore access to 62.5 miles of stream for fish passage, restore 2.8 miles and 80 acres of fish habitat, and assess four fish populations and 14.5 stream miles. One temporary barrier was constructed to support Greenback Cutthroat Trout conservation efforts.

In 2022, WNTI awarded $23,550 from its small grant program (funded 100% with donations) for six projects in ten western states and a Canadian province, matched by $29,360 in public and private funding. The community-based projects emphasize citizen science and outreach to help address challenges facing the restoration and recovery of WNTI’s focal species. More information on the 2022 small grants can be found here.