Steelhead Recovery in the San Juan and Trabuco Creeks Watershed

The San Juan Creek Watershed is a 176-square mile catchment area which contains San Juan, Trabuco, and Oso Creeks. The lower reaches of San Juan and Trabuco Creeks have been degraded, while the upper reaches of San Juan and Trabuco Creeks and their tributaries remain fairly in tact. San Juan, Trabuco, nearby San Mateo, and San Onofre Creeks all had consistent steelhead runs up until at least the late 1940's (Hubb, 1946). The decline in steelhead is a result of: agriculture, mining, urban development, migration barriers such as the Trabuco Creek at Interstate 5 culvert, degraded stream habitat, decreased stream flow (e.g., withdrawals), and degraded water quality. California Southern Steelhead (Oncoryhnchus mykiss) were listed as an endangered species on August 18, 1997; the southern range was extended to the US/Mexico border on May 1, 2002, and endangered status was reaffirmed on January 5, 2006. It is important that the pristine condition of the upper watershed be preserved to facilitate steelhead recovery. Quality habitat needs to be preserved, and the spread of invasive plant and animal species needs to be controlled.