Walker Lake rises 15 feet since December

HAWTHORNE, Nev. (KOLO) - The Walker Basin Conservancy says Walker Lake has risen 15 feet since its low point in December of 2022.

They say the rise can be attributed to snowpack melting out of the eastern Sierra, causing record flows out of the Walker River over the summer.

The Conservancy says this rise in water levels is crucial for efforts to restore the ecological balance of the lake, which they say is currently in a state of ecological collapse.

They say a successful restoration event will see salinity levels reduced to a level where Lahontan cutthroat trout could be reintroduced in the lake, as well as a healthy water system for surrounding communities.