Restoration of Clear Lake Hitch Habitat and Land Repatriation

RESTORATION & REPATRIATION IN CLEAR LAKE

Pinecrest wrote a successful $2.3M grant and initiated a grassroots and multi-stakeholder effort in Lake County to restore the watershed of Schindler Creek, restore wetlands and wildlife habitat, and repatriate ancestral indigenous lands. Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi) is a critically endangered species of fish endemic to Clear Lake and was a staple of indigenous diets. Clear Lake Hitch use to spawn in great numbers in Schindler Creek although they are now nearly extirpated from this watershed. This project proposes to restore the channel and riparian corridor of Schindler Creek, restore adjacent wetland habitat, and return land to indigenous uses. Partners on this project include the Lake County Land Trust, Lake County Resource & Conservation District, Robinson Rancheria, Elem Indian Colony, Redbud Chapter of the Audubon Society, Clear Lake Keys Property Owners Association, California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, Hana Resources, Wolf Creek Archaeology, McMillen Engineering, and Native Sage Consulting.

A poster from the Clear Lake Integrated Science Symposium describing the various phases of the project can be downloaded here.