County approves FlowWest contract to design the Cole Creek restoration

On August 4, the Lake County Board of Supervisors approved a $349,647 agreement with FlowWest to plan and design the restoration of Cole Creek. The agreement runs through March 1, 2028. It describes the goal as a project “to reduce flooding and improve habitat conditions for Clear Lake hitch” in Lower Cole Creek. The supervisors voted as the board of the Lake County Watershed Protection District, the county agency that runs the project.

The money comes from a grant of up to $500,122 that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife awarded the District in June 2025. Thank you to Lake County Water Resources and CDFW for lining up the funding and getting the contract in place.

FlowWest has started work and is setting the scope and schedule now. This grant pays for planning and design only. Money to build the project hasn’t been found yet, and that’s the next big step. We’re tracking all of it on the new plan page.