The plight of Walker Lake, Nev. is an example of how we cannot rely on water policies that ignore the balance of economic and natural needs. Traditional economic uses can become the dominant force in managing water. All too often other concerns - and ecosystems - are ignored.

Caught in this blueprint is Walker Lake that has dropped 160 feet since the turn of century because of upstream diversions for agriculture and periodic drought.

The Walker Lake Working Group is trying to change this blueprint by raising awareness and building a constituency for this rare watershed resource, fishery and wildlife habitat. The group believes it is poor public policy to allow a unique desert ecosystem to collapse as a result of human-caused activities.

Educate
Many other Web sites are available to educate you on what is
being done to sustain the fishery at Walker Lake.

• Walker Basin Project of the Nevada System of Higher Education
  that is working to secure water rights for Walker Lake. www.nevada.edu/walker

• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation – Desert Terminal Lakes Program that
  manages funding for Walker Lake preservation efforts.
  www.usbr.gov/mp/lbao/desert_terminal

• U.S. Geological Survey – Nevada Water Science Center,
  Hydrology of the Walker River Basin. www.nevada.usgs.gov/walker

• U.S. Geological Survey – Real-time water data for Walker Lake.
  www.waterdata.usgs.gov/nv/nwis/uv/?site_no=10288500&PAR
  Ameter_cd=00065,72020,00062,00054

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Lahontan cutthroat trout data.
  www.fws.gov/lahontannfhc/fish/lahontan_cutthroat_trout/lct.html

Activate

• Contact your local, state and federal lawmakers, and let them
  know that you support efforts to save Walker Lake as a fresh-water
  fishery, which is home to threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout and
  thousands of migratory birds.

Participate

• Become a member of the Walker Lake Working group and volunteer.
  
  Click on contact us www.walkerlake.org/cont/cont_home.html
• 
  Visit Walker Lake to enjoy outdoor recreation at this massive lake in a unique desert ecosystem. See events www.walkerlake.org/events/events_home.html to learn more about special events in the area.

Source:
Water Resources in the Walker River Basin: A Search for Water to Save Walker Lake; Prepared by Public Resource Associates; November 1994