Pine Creek/Eagle Lake

The Pine Creek Watershed in Lassen County is the primary tributary to Eagle Lake. This watershed contributes an estimated 75% to 85% of the surface flow into Eagle Lake. 

The Pine Creek Coordinated Resources Management Planning group (CRMP) was formed in 1987 to coordinate efforts to improve hydrologic conditions in Pine Creek.  The initial goals of CRMP were to:

• Improve vegetative cover in the Pine Creek watershed
• Improve the streambank stability of Pine Creek
• Raise the streambed and watertable in the drainage and spread out peak flows of Pine Creek
• Restore the natural Eagle Lake trout fishery in Pine Creek
• Improve wildlife habitat along Pine Creek
• Reduce nutrient and sediment loading into Eagle Lake from Pine Creek
• Maintain grazing and timber management
• Meet goals in a coordinated effort with all affected parties

Subsequent planning efforts to accomplish most of these goals have resulted in more than a couple of decade of activities and projects that are still occurring at the present time.

The Pine Creek Watershed Report written in 1989 by L. Stephen Young summarizes then-known facts about this watershed area.  The report includes the results of field work done to inventory channel types and riparian zone conditions, and it outlines watershed improvement opportunities.

Conservation Plan for Pine Creek and Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout was written by Teresa Pustejovsky in 2007 with the intent that new participants interested in management of this watershed would be able to "find information and understand where the earlier members have tread."  She summarizes the history of events occuring on and along Pine Creek and she details restoration efforts:

Table of Contents and Introduction
Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout and Fishes of Pine Creek and Eagle Lake
Conservation Actions - Part 1
Conservation Actions - Part 2
Conclusion and Bibliography
Appendices




An article published in July of 2011 Long-term Captive Breeding Does Not Necessarily Prevent Reestablishment: Lessons Learned from Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout written by Gerard Carmona-Catot, Peter B. Moyle, and Rachel E. Simmons describes the captive breeding program for Eagle Lake rainbow trout which are peculiar to the Eagle Lake watershed of notheastern California.