The Upper Dotta Meadow Project will help restore water within a 253-acre critically dewatered meadow ecosystem in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. The project is located in the upper Feather River Basin, the keystone watershed for California’s State Water Project .
The project area was once a vibrant wetland meadow ecosystem with healthy streams and rich wildlife habitat containing robust trout populations and diverse bird species. However, historical land use practices and water diversion created a dewatered meadow ecosystem. Retained water is no longer adequate to maintain stream levels and support habitat for trout, birds and other wildlife.