Memorandum
Date: September 9, 2025
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: 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) Adopt a Resolution Authorizing Approval of the Project and Approval of Grant Funds for Clear Lake Hitch Habitat Improvement Planning and Design in Cole Creek, Big Valley Basin, Lake County, CA, USA for the amount not to exceed $500,122, and approve the Water Resources Director as Signature Authorization to Execute Agreement.
Executive Summary:
Staff is requesting the Board of Supervisors, sitting as the Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District "DISTRICT" approve and adopt the attached resolution and authorize the Water Resources Director to execute the grant agreement between the DISTRICT and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) through funds appropriated by the State of California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) to conduct a Project called "Clear Lake Hitch Habitat Improvement Planning and Design in Cole Creek, Big Valley Basin, Lake County, CA, USA." Prior to entering into a grant agreement, CDFW requires an authorizing resolution from the DISTRICT governing body that confirms approval of the Project and grant funds not to exceed $500,122.
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.
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Estimated Cost: ________ Amount Budgeted: ___...
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