Central Valley Steelhead Brochure

Before dams and levees altered and blocked Central Valley streams and rivers, 81 independent CCV steelhead populations lived throughout the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins and high into the cold waters of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Now, the species is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The few remaining populations are confined to areas downstream of dams and undammed creeks, and they rely heavily on hatcheries to maintain their abundance which can affect the health of the wild populations.