Flooding, debris, and blocked waterways have turned Lake County's Cole Creek into a death trap for an endangered fish species. Meanwhile, homes and roads remain underwater for months.
We're a community of neighbors in Green Acres, Kelseyville, California. Many of us have lived here for decades, witnessing the situation worsen significantly in recent years. Floodwaters now remain on our properties for more than 6 months each year, damaging homes, roads, and severely impacting daily life and the local ecosystem.
Cole Creek was rerouted and channelized in the late 1950s. Since then, Lake County has performed almost no maintenance, allowing sediment and debris to accumulate. This negligence has turned Cole Creek into a flooded disaster, trapping residents and wildlife alike.
Despite recognizing Cole Creek as vital for the survival of the endangered Clear Lake Hitch, Lake County authorities delayed crucial action for years. The county has only recently started soliciting contractors for planning work after sustained community pressure, yet thousands of fish still die every spring in stagnant floodwaters while those long-term plans inch forward.
November 21, 2025
We continue the monthly Cole Creek Advisory Collaborative (CCAC) meetings with Lake County Water Resources, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), California State Parks, Big Valley Rancheria, FlowWest engineers, and community representatives.
Read more →September 15, 2025
Lake County opened bidding for the comprehensive “Fish and Wildlife Management and Planning Services; Task A, Task B, Task C” contract. Task C is focused entirely on Cole Creek planning and design, with an expected contractor cost range of $200,000–$500,000.
Read more →August 14, 2025
Lake County Water Resources spent a full week cutting through vegetation and scooping sediment from a short reach of Cole Creek just upstream of Clark Drive Bridge.
Read more →Lake County has started the long process of hiring planners and engineers, yet the creek remains clogged today. The community needs short-term action—cutting vegetation, removing debris, and keeping the channel open—while the multi-year design work and funding move forward.
