Flow Improvements
The Tuolumne River is the largest tributary to the San Joaquin River, and provides a wide array of benefits to people and wildlife.
On average, only 21% of the Tuolumne’s unimpaired flow reaches its confluence with the San Joaquin River. This is far from the natural function of how the river ecosystem should operate. As a result, the Tuolumne has been transformed from a fast-moving, cold river, to a slow-moving, warm stream, which favors invasive non-native species over native fish.
The fisheries decline underscores the severity of the problem: Spring-run Chinook salmon are gone, Central Valley steelhead are listed as threatened, and fall-run Chinook salmon have declined significantly from historic highs of well over 100,000 fish to just hundreds or a few thousand in recent years.
In order to avoid ecosystem collapse, we are working to restore flows that more closely resemble the natural flow of the river to benefit fish, wildlife, and people.
Revive The Tuolumne
California water policy is complex. Through various policy proceedings happening at the state and federal level, we are working to reverse past damage by increasing the amount of water flowing down the river and into the San Francisco Bay-Delta.