Kelsey Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project
Client
Redwood Valley Little River Band of Pomo Indians
Project Categories
Tags
Fish Passage DesignwaterUrban Creek RestorationEndangered Clear Lake Hitch
The Clear Lake hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi) is a native fish endemic to Clear Lake and culturally significant to the Clear Lake Pomo Indians. The hitch population has declined due to loss of wetland/marsh habitat, access to spawning locations in tributaries, lack of flow in spawning streams, and an increase in introduced non-native predators in Clear Lake. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) added the Clear Lake hitch to the California Endangered Species List in 2014.
Barrier to Habitat
Kelsey Creek near Kelseyville has incised up to 15 feet since the 1940s. To prevent the piers of the Main Street Bridge from being undermined, a grade control structure was constructed across the channel along with a salmonid fish passageway. The grade control structure and fish passageway are barriers to hitch migration, preventing the use of two miles of critical pools and spawning habitat. Kelsey Creek is one of the last Clear Lake tributaries that still supports active hitch migration.
Designs for Future Restoration
FlowWest in collaboration with the Elem Indian Colony developed conceptual design alternatives for hitch passage at the Main Street Bridge. FlowWest collected topographic data using total station and RTK GPS, performed hydrologic analysis, and developed a HEC-RAS model for the study reach to develop the conceptual fish passage alternative. Because hitch burrow rather than jump, FlowWest selected a roughed ramp design during the alternatives analysis. This innovative design will restore access to upstream spawning areas and holding pools for hitch, maintain grade control, and maintain 100-year flood conveyance in the channel.
