California Ends Funding for Tribal Salmon Restoration on McCloud River

Winnemem Wintu Tribe's effort to reintroduce endangered winter-run Chinook salmon faces collapse without state support.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 1:52pm

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A tribal-led effort to bring endangered winter-run Chinook salmon back to the McCloud River above Lake Shasta is in danger of collapsing after California stopped funding the program. The Winnemem Wintu Tribe, which partnered with state and federal agencies in 2022 to relocate salmon eggs to the cold, spring-fed McCloud, says the state's financial support will be gone by the end of June, forcing staff layoffs.

Why it matters

The project marked the first time in more than 80 years that salmon swam in the McCloud, a river central to the Winnemem Wintu Tribe's culture and identity. The tribe's collaboration with state agencies was highlighted by Gov. Gavin Newsom as essential to California's broader salmon restoration strategy.

The details

The roughly $6 million grant from the state was tied to drought emergency response and was always intended as a pilot program, according to California Department of Fish and Wildlife. However, the timing of the funding cut is particularly challenging, as salmon transported around Lake Shasta have started returning to the Sacramento River, and fertilized eggs hatched on the McCloud's banks last year. The project also supports an effort to bring descendants of McCloud salmon back from New Zealand, where they were exported over a century ago.

  • In 2022, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe partnered with state and federal agencies to relocate salmon eggs to the McCloud River.
  • In 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted the tribal collaboration in his salmon restoration strategy.
  • By the end of June 2026, the state's financial support for the project will end, forcing staff layoffs.

The players

Winnemem Wintu Tribe

A Native American tribe that partnered with state and federal agencies to reintroduce endangered winter-run Chinook salmon to the McCloud River, a river central to the tribe's culture and identity.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

The state agency that provided a roughly $6 million grant to fund the tribal-led salmon restoration project, which was intended as a pilot program tied to drought emergency response.

Gov. Gavin Newsom

The Governor of California who highlighted the Winnemem Wintu Tribe's collaboration in his 2024 salmon restoration strategy, calling tribal partnerships essential to the mission.

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What’s next

The Winnemem Wintu Tribe is seeking alternative funding sources to continue the salmon restoration project on the McCloud River after the state's financial support ends in June 2026.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges of sustaining long-term environmental restoration efforts, even when they have the backing of state leadership and tribal collaboration. The abrupt end of funding for the McCloud River salmon project threatens to undermine years of progress and the cultural significance of the river to the Winnemem Wintu Tribe.