Peter Stanton, Exec. Dir. & Amy Guinan, Development Dir.

The Walker Basin Conservancy leads one of the most ambitious restoration projects in the Western United States: saving Walker Lake and reversing its ecological collapse.  Since the 1850's, Walker Lake has declined by more than 90% by volume due to agricultural diversions of the Walker River.
The Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that works with ranchers, farmers, and community members to reverse the ecological decline of Walker Lake by acquiring and protecting water rights in-stream to increase flows to the Lake.  To date, they have acquired 53% of the flows necessary to restore Walker Lake.  Over the last decade, they have also opened public access on more than 12,000 acres and 29 miles of the Walker River that had been closed off for more than a century, and have re-established native plant communities and improved wildlife habitat on thousands of acres of former hay fields.
This year, Walker Lake is reaping the benefits of an historic water year as snowpack continues to melt, increasing flows in the Walker River.  As of July 31, Walker Lake is up almost 15 feet!  Peter will share with us the positive impact they see for longterm restoration of the Lake.