Memorandum
Date: August 4, 2026
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors, serving as the Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District
From: Dr. Pawan Upadhyay, Water Resources Director
Chris Childers, Water Resources Program Coordinator
Subject: (Sitting as the Board of Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District) Approve the Agreement for Fish and Wildlife Management and Planning Services; Task C: Cole Creek Planning and Design in the amount of $349,647 and authorize the Chair to sign
Executive Summary:
The Lake County Water Resources Department requests that the Board of Supervisors, acting as the Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District (District), approve the award of contract to FlowWest, LLC for the Fish and Wildlife Management and Planning Services - Task C: Cole Creek Planning and Design project in the amount of $349,647. Funding for this project is provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Nature Based Solutions: Wildlife Corridors Grant Program and will support planning and design efforts to improve habitat conditions for the Clear Lake hitch, including fish passage improvements and flood management planning within the lower Cole Creek Basin.
Project Description:
Task C: Cole Creek Planning and Design
The Cole Creek Restoration Project in Lake County, CA, aims to develop a formal plan to restore 1.55 miles of spawning habitat for the Clear Lake hitch (CLH), a state-listed species under consideration for Federal ESA protection. This Project consists of planning, engineering, and design to improve flows, reduce sediment barriers, and address flooding. Its goal is to create a community-supported restoration plan to enhance CLH fish passage, spawning, juvenile migration, and long-term ecological resilience.
In accordance with the County’s procurement policies, District staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to qualified engineering and environmental consulting firms with demonstrated expertise in fisheries habitat restoration, hydrology, and water resources planning. Following evaluation of the submitted proposals, FlowWest, LLC was determined to be the most qualified firm to perform the requested services.
If not budgeted, fill in the blanks below only:
Estimated Cost: Amount Budgeted: Additional Requested: ________ Future Annual Cost: ________
Consistency with Vision 2028 (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☒ Well-being of Residents ☐ Public Safety ☐ Disaster Preparedness, Prevention, Recovery
☐ Economic Development ☐ Infrastructure ☐ County Workforce
☒ Community Collaboration ☐ Business Process Efficiency ☒ Clear Lake
If request for exemption from competitive bid in accordance with County Code Chapter 2 Sec. 2-38, fill in blanks below:
Which exemption is being requested? N/A
How long has Agreement been in place? N/A
When was purchase last rebid? N/A
Reason for request to waive bid? N/A
Recommended Action: (Sitting as the Board of Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District) Approve the agreement for Fish and Wildlife Management and Planning Services; Task C: Cole Creek Planning and Design in the amount of $349,647 and authorize the Chair to sign.