2010 Orvis Conservation Grant Project: Sacramento River -- Deer Creek

The Resource: The Sacramento River Basin

The Sacramento River, the longest river in California, is among the most important basins in the West. Flowing 380 miles through the northern Central Valley and providing drinking water to 20 million people, it is also home to 75 species of fish – including trout, salmon, and steelhead. Deer Creek, a tributary off the middle reach of the Sacramento, is located near Nevada City and is home to floodplain habitats that have been identified as biological “hotspots” because they provide vital habitat for fish and wildlife.

The Problem: Outdated and Inadequate Flood and Water Management Systems

Outdated and inadequate flood and water management systems pose such severe flooding risks to people and wildlife that American Rivers listed the Sacramento as the top river of concern in its annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers report. Illustrative of the problems that plague the river, the Deer Creek tributary is choked by levees that block the river from replenishing the floodplains along its banks and that harm fish and wildlife habitat. Moreover, recreation in and along the river is hindered by a lack of public access to the river.

The Solution: American Rivers is Restoring the Damaged Floodplain and Riverbanks

American Rivers is restoring the damaged floodplain and riverbanks by removing a levee that blocks the floodplain and planting hundreds of native plants and trees in the riparian areas along the river. Our goal is to ensure that trout and native fish habitat is enhanced and flooding is reduced by allowing the river to inundate the floodplain when flooding occurs and to create a healthy streamside buffer. This floodplain restoration project is part of a larger effort by American Rivers and our partners to create five miles of creek-side trails, including two pedestrian bridges that will provide access for fly-anglers to many currently inaccessible fishing spots and access for others to the river. This project has received tremendous support from the local community and government agencies.

• Learn more about our work on Deer Creek