This species inhabits coastal coniferous forests in small, cold (usually 5.8–12.0 °C), clear, high-gradient mountain streams and spring seepages, especially in gravel-dominated riffles with low sedimentation. Larvae often occur under stones in shaded streams. Adults also inhabit these streams or stream-sides in saturated moss-covered talus, or under rocks in splash zone. This species typically occurs in older forest sites containing large conifers, abundant moss, and >80% canopy closure; required microclimatic and microhabitat conditions generally exist only in older forests (Welsh 1990, Welsh and Lind 1996). Young, managed forests may be occupied as long as the required microhabitats are present (Diller and Wallace 1996). This species is highly susceptible to human alteration of the landscape (Emel and Storfer 2014). Previous estimates placed the amount of remaining coastal old-growth redwood forest in California in which this species occurs at 12% (see Jennings and Hayes 1994), however, the trend of habitat loss is starting to slow across much of the range due to a reduction in clear cutting and increased awareness and protection of headwater habitats (USFWS 2000). This species breeds by larval development.

This species can be found in the western USA, where it occurs from southern Mendocino County, California, north through the Coast Ranges to the Little Nestucca River and the Grande Ronde Valley in Polk, Tillamook, and Yamhill counties, Oregon. This species also occurs in the north Umpqua River drainage of the interior southern Cascades Range of Oregon and the upper McCloud River drainage in California (Green et al. 2014). An apparently isolated subpopulation exists on the west slope of the Cascade Mountains in the vicinity of Steamboat, Douglas County, Oregon (south of the range of Rhyacotriton cascadae) (Good and Wake 1992). It has patchy distribution in headwaters and low order tributaries (Welsh and Lind 1996).

Conservation Actions In-Place
This species is fully protected within Redwood National Park, and portions of its range are somewhat protected by National Forests. This species is not currently listed at the state or federal level, but is considered a Species of Special Concern in California and is denoted as Vulnerable on the Oregon Sensitive Species List (Emel and Storfer 2014).

In an effort to prevent the introduction of Bsal into the US, an Interim Rule of the Lacey Act has been enacted that bans the importation of 201 species of salamanders (USFWS 2016). Additionally, a temporary voluntary trade moratorium of imports of Asian salamander species that are known to carry the disease until such time as effective testing and treatment regimens can be developed and distributed has been recommended to all exporters, shippers, sellers and buyers by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC). A North America Bsal Task Force has also been created, with working groups designed to address a variety of disease prevention and mitigation goals (North America Bsal Task Force 2021).

Conservation Needed
 As this species falls within a highly managed landscape where timber harvest is the dominant activity, the continued and strengthened management of protected area(s) where this species occurs and expanded protection of suitable habitat elsewhere in its range is needed. It is important that management plans take into account species-specific requirements. Specifically, management plans should prioritize maintaining stream corridors with buffers of dense canopy cover, as this may maximize connectivity amidst pressure from timber harvest and urbanization (Emel and Storfer 2014, Emel et al. 2019).