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.
Cole Creek is vital for the survival of the endangered Clear Lake Hitch, yet thousands of fish still die every spring in stagnant floodwaters. Despite recognizing this crisis for years, Lake County authorities delayed crucial action. Through ongoing community collaboration (monthly meetings, detailed documentation, and consistent communication about the issues), the county published a comprehensive planning RFP in September 2025 and is now working to finalize a contract, marking the first concrete step toward long-term restoration.
March 20, 2026
We counted about 50 Clear Lake hitch in Cole Creek on March 10 during a community survey for the county. The spawning run kicked off around the same time, which is great to see after years of channel problems.
Read more →February 3, 2026
The Center for Biological Diversity notified U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that it intends to sue over stalled Endangered Species Act protections for the Clear Lake hitch. The federal agency proposed listing the hitch as threatened back in January 2025 but never finalized the rule. If the agency doesn't act within 60 days, the Center plans to take them to court.
Read more →January 26, 2026
UC Davis published its Clear Lake Watershed and Lake Remediation Final Report in January 2026 with several findings specific to Cole Creek.
Read more →While long-term planning moves forward, recent cleanup efforts have made a difference. California Conservation Corps crews cleared vegetation from the channel in December 2025, and county workers separately removed vegetation and sediment upstream of Clark Drive Bridge in August 2025. Yet much of the creek remains clogged. Consistent maintenance (cutting vegetation, removing debris, and keeping the channel open) is essential to protect homes, roads, and wildlife while the multi-year restoration project develops.
