Memorandum
Date: February 6, 2024
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Scott De Leon, Water Resources Director and Angela De Palma-Dow, Program Coordinator Water Resources
Subject: (Sitting as Board of Directors Lake County Watershed Protection District) Adopt Resolution Approving the Application for Grant Funds from the Wildlife Conservation Board for the Hitch Habitat Improvement Planning and Assessment for Tule Lake, Scotts Creek and Adobe Creek Project not to exceed $2,730,970
Executive Summary:
Staff is requesting the Board of Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District (District) approve and authorize the District to submit a resolution approving the application to the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), for funds to conduct a Clear Lake hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi) “Habitat Improvement Planning and Assessment for Tule Lake, Scotts Creek and Adobe Creek”. This item will both satisfy actions identified in the BOS Declared Emergency for the Clear Lake Hitch and actions identified in the US Fish and Wildlife Service Hitch Conservation Strategy.
This item is not anticipated to be controversial; therefore, we are requesting this item be placed on the consent agenda.
In September 2023, the District provided a support letter for this grant application, and since that time the grant application has received WCB Staff Recommendation to be approved by the Wildlife Conservation Board at their February 15th, 2024 board meeting.
This project includes tribal and professional partners from Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Flowwest Consulting, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, and Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake. While this project is focused on assessments and planning, the products from this project will provide substantial footing for the District to be competitive for future implementation funds from state or federal sources. This project is designed so that we can apply for implementation funding in 2026/2027.
The total cost of the grant request would not exceed $2.731 Million dollars, with an approximate contributions from the District, other partners and sources of approximately $595,000.
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Recommended Action: (Sitting as Board of Directors Lake County Watershed Protection District) Adopt Resolution Approving the Application for Grant Funds from the Wildlife Conservation Board for the Hitch Habitat Improvement Planning and Assessment for Tule Lake, Scotts Creek and Adobe Creek Project not to exceed $2,730,970.