Memorandum
Date: September 22, 2026
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Pawan Upadhyay, Water Resources Director and
Michael Bedar, Water Resources Program Coordinator
Subject: (Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors) Approve a $200,000 Engineering Advance to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for Preliminary Engineering Associated with Transmission Tower Modifications for the Middle Creek Restoration Project and Authorize the Water Resources Director to Sign Related Documents
Executive Summary:
The Middle Creek Restoration Project requires modification and/or relocation of existing Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) electrical infrastructure within the project area. As previously presented to the Board on December 12, 2023 (File No. 23-1338), the project includes seven PG&E transmission towers, as well as distribution facilities that may be affected by implementation of the restoration project. At that time, the Board approved allocation of $200,000 from Cannabis Tax revenues for the PG&E engineering deposit needed to advance the project.
PG&E has now provided an updated Engineering Advance request dated August 6, 2026. PG&E anticipates that the first $200,000 Engineering Advance (EA) will fund preliminary modeling and limited design development for modifications to seven transmission towers, likely advancing the design to no more than approximately 30 percent. PG&E has advised that additional Engineering Advances, currently estimated at approximately $400,000 to $800,000, may be required to complete the engineering phase; these amounts remain preliminary and will be refined as PG&E develops the scope of work. PG&E currently estimates the overall tower-modification portion of the project at approximately $3.5 million to $7.0 million.
PG&E cannot begin the preliminary engineering work until it receives the signed Engineering Advance letter and the $200,000 deposit. Once the relocation design and associated costs are developed, PG&E anticipates that an Actual Cost Agreement and additional funding will be required before construction of the utility modifications can proceed.
Advancing PG&E's engineering work at this time is important to maintaining progress on the Middle Creek Restoration Project and coordinating utility modifications with the broader project design and implementation schedule. Other ongoing project activities include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' validation study of the original project, development of project cost information, and continued property acquisition and appraisal activities.
Approval of the Engineering Advance will allow PG&E to begin preliminary engineering and develop more refined design requirements and cost estimates necessary for subsequent phases of the Middle Creek Restoration Project.
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Recommended Action: (Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors) Approve a $200,000 Engineering Advance to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for Preliminary Engineering Associated with Transmission Tower Modifications for the Middle Creek Restoration Project and Authorize the Water Resources Director to Sign Related Documents.