Memorandum
Date: September 22, 2026
To: The Honorable Brad Rasmussen, Chair, Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Pawan Upadhyay, Water Resources Director
Chris Childers, Water Resources Program Coordinator
Subject: 9:30 A.M. - (Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District) Consideration of a Presentation on the 2026 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 endemic to the Clear Lake watershed. Following a successful second year of the program, community science observations continue to provide valuable information on Clear Lake hitch spawning activity and relative population trends. This ongoing effort strengthens our understanding of the species and helps 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, 2026. Twenty-nine 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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