The Regional Water Authority (RWA) Watersheds Resilience Pilot study area encompasses the American, Bear, and Cosumnes River watersheds, as well as the eastside tributaries of the Feather and Sacramento Rivers between the Bear River mouth and Mokelumne River mouth, and the City of West Sacramento.

We acknowledge and honor the original stewards of this region: the Indigenous peoples who have lived in and cared for these lands and waterways for centuries. This study area includes the ancestral homelands of the Me-wuk, Nisenan, Miwok, Maidu, Paiute, Pit River, Washoe, and Yokut peoples. For generations, these Tribal Nations and communities have passed down cultural traditions, ecological knowledge, and land management practices that continue to shape the health of the region today.

The history of this region bears the impacts of displacement, violence, and systemic injustices that have profoundly disrupted Indigenous peoples and their ways of life. These injustices have led to the mismanagement and over-extraction of natural lands and resources, causing ecological degradation that threatens the resilience and wellbeing of all communities. We are called to return to traditional knowledge and stewardship practices to honor Indigenous leadership, uphold equity, and restore ecological balance essential to the wellbeing of us all.

We honor their presence and leadership, and recognize our responsibility to work in partnership with Tribal communities toward a more sustainable and equitable future. Efforts like the Watershed Resilience Pilot are a step forward in addressing these legacies, centering Indigenous knowledge, and advancing collaborative stewardship that supports the wellbeing of the natural environment and all who depend on it.