Memorandum
Date: September 23, 2025
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Pawan Upadhyay, Water Resources Director
Chris Childers, Water Resources Program Coordinator
Subject: Presentation from Lake County Watershed Protection District / Water Resources staff on the 2025 Clear Lake Hitch Community Science Spawner Observation Program – Summary and Outcomes
Executive Summary:
As your board is aware, the Clear Lake hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi) was listed as Threatened under the California Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2014. In 2022 there was a local call for action in response to the denied federal ESA listing of Clear Lake hitch in combination with low observations during spawning season. In February of 2023 your board declared a Proclamation of the Existence of a Local Emergency Due to Persistent Drought, Habitat Loss, and Potential Extinction of Clear Lake Hitch. Since then, collaborative efforts have occurred among many local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
In Spring 2025, the Watershed Protection District / Water Resources Department implemented a Community Science Spawner Observation Program to monitor the Clear Lake hitch, a species of special concern that is endemic to the Clear Lake watershed. This program supports ongoing efforts to better understand population trends over time and inform long-term conservation and management strategies.
A total of 33 monitoring sites were established across key tributaries throughout the Clear Lake watershed. These sites were observed weekly for 10 consecutive weeks, beginning March 9, 2025. Twenty-eight trained community volunteers participated in this effort. Volunteers received instruction on fish identification—including both in-person and field training components—and were trained to use Survey123 software for consistent and accurate data collection.
Volunteers recorded presence or absence of Clear Lake hitch at each site, and when present, estimated fish counts. The data gathered through this program will contribute to monitoring relative population trends over time. It also provides valuable information that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of creek restoration projects and fish passage barrier removal efforts.
Additionally, this monitoring effort enhances our understanding of hitch spawning behavior, including which tributaries are used and how far upstream the species migrates during the spawning season.
We thank our dedicated community science volunteers for their vital contributions to this effort and look forward to continuing this program in future years to support the protection and recovery of the Clear Lake hitch.
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