clear lake hitch

Kelsey Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project Featured in Lake County News

Ironically, the Kelsey Creek Fish Passage Structure acts as a barrier to native fish, including the Clear Lake Hitch. The Clear Lake hitch, or Chi, as named by the Xa-Ben-Na-Po Band of Pomo Indians and other local indigenous tribes, are a culturally and biologically important species found only in Clear Lake and its tributaries. In addition to the physical barrier, the water velocity in Kelsey Creek is unnaturally high due historic gravel mining and the channelization of the creek. Barriers to spawning habitat contribute to the perilous conditions for the Chi, who are at the brink of extinction.