Courtesy of SeafoodNews.com:
The California Wildlife Conservation Board recently approved approximately $51.83 million in grants to help restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat throughout California — including some key projects to help salmon and endangered species.
Some projects also benefit other wildlife while others will provide public access to important natural resources. Several projects will also demonstrate the importance of protecting working landscapes that integrate economic, social and environmental stewardship practices beneficial to the environment, landowners and the local community, the state said in a press release.
Funding for these projects comes from a combination of sources including the state’s General Fund, Habitat Conservation Fund and bond measures approved by voters to help preserve and protect California’s natural resources.
The fish- and salmon-related funded projects include:
• A $2.1 million grant to the Mid Klamath Watershed Council for a cooperative project with the State Coastal Conservancy, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct prioritization, planning, design and permitting actions for 16 miles of high value waterways in the mid Klamath River basin where restoration activities following the removal of the Klamath Dam will benefit migratory salmonids and other aquatic species.
• A $1.27 million grant to the Montague Water Conservation District for a cooperative project with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to repair 1.19 miles of the Montague Water Conservation District’s Main Canal and to dedicate cold water annually for instream benefit to migratory salmonids and other aquatic species in the Shasta River in Siskiyou County.
• A $4.3 million grant augmentation to the Ventura County Watershed Protection District for a planning project that will complete final design plans for Matilija Dam removal and for three downstream levee construction and rehabilitation projects, which are essential components to support future restoration of the most productive and resilient spawning and rearing habitat for Southern California steelhead in support of the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project located four miles northwest of the city of Ojai in Ventura County.
• A $4.9 million grant to the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains for a cooperative planning project with CDFW, State Coastal Conservancy, California Department of Parks and Recreation and Caltrans to develop the technical studies, environmental review and outreach
necessary to restore the Topanga Lagoon located within the third largest watershed that drains into the Santa Monica Bay and maintains a natural hydrologic regime that supports three native fish species and over 20 native amphibians, including a population of endangered tidewater goby and Southern California steelhead in Los Angeles County.
• A $1.81 million grant to California Waterfowl Association for a cooperative project with CDFW to complete wetland, riparian and upland habitat enhancement at the Palo Verde Ecological Reserve located in the town of Blythe in Riverside County.
More information about the WCB is online at wcb.ca.gov.