Bull Trout
Historically bull trout occurred throughout the Columbia River Basin. Today, they are found primarily in upper tributary streams and several lake and reservoir systems.
Bull trout are more sensitive to increased water temperatures, poor water quality, and low flow conditions than many other salmonids. They require especially clean, cold water, and temperatures above 59 ºF are thought to limit the survival of juveniles. Land management practices, especially along larger river systems and stream areas located in valley bottoms, have degraded stream habitat to the point where bull trout can no longer survive or reproduce successfully.
Declines in bull trout populations prompted the USFWS to list the Columbia River bull trout as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1998. In 2010, the FWS released the proposed critical habitat designation for bull trout.
More information on USFWS draft bull trout recovery plans
Bull trout fact sheet
Proposed critical habitat for bull trout