In 1957, completion of the Monticello dam closed off natural stream flows in Putah creek, which flows down from the coastal ranges past the UC Davis campus and into the Yolo bypass. Native fish disappeared from the creek, which sometimes dried up completely in summer time.

Restoration efforts began in 2000 following the Putah creek accord. Since then, native fish have returned to the creek, including spawning salmon first noticed in 2015. The creek is now a stable, flourishing ecosystem, even though 95 percent of the creek's water is still diverted for agriculture.

Is Putah creek's success a model for other degraded water systems in California and beyond? Read more about the restoration of Putah creek in this blog post from the Center for Watershed Sciences.