At the recent Lassen County Fish and Game Commission meeting, Vice Chairman Smith detailed progress on the Wildlife Strike Crossings Pilot Project (WCPP) along Highway 395, a critical initiative to mitigate wildlife collisions. Collaborating with Caltrans, the project is utilizing $5.3 million in funding from the Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program to plan and engineer a “Safety Corridor.” The proposed infrastructure will include underpasses and overpasses designed to address a major wildlife strike area on the highway.
Commissioner Siemer provided an update on raptor projects and the ongoing work to repair and replace water collection systems known as “Guzzlers,” essential for supporting wildlife in arid regions. A cooperative agreement between Lassen County and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is facilitating the Guzzler projects. Once completed, BLM will submit associated expenses to Lassen County for reimbursement.
The commission also approved forwarding a letter of support for proposed fishing rule and regulation changes from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to the Board of Supervisors. These changes aim to enhance fisheries management and conservation efforts across the county.
Mountain Meadows Reservoir Restoration Progress Reported
Paul Divine from CDFW delivered a detailed presentation on the ongoing restoration efforts at Mountain Meadows Reservoir (Walker Lake). Following its complete drainage in 2015, the reservoir has been the focus of a multi-agency effort to restore fish habitats. Native Sacramento Perch, along with other non-native species, have been successfully reintroduced to the reservoir and other bodies of water in Lassen and Modoc counties. However, recent findings of a single crappie—a species not native to the area—raise concerns about potential impacts on fish ecology, not only in Walker Lake but also in nearby Lake Almanor.
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