Little Butano Creek Fish Passage and Habitat Enhancement Project

On May 27, 2026, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a Restoration Management Permit to the County of San Mateo Department of Public Works for the Little Butano Creek Fish Passage and Habitat Enhancement Project. The project is designed to restore and enhance aquatic and riparian habitats to support several threatened and endangered species, including the Central California Coast evolutionarily significant unit of coho salmon, which is listed as endangered under both state and federal law, and Central California Coast steelhead trout, listed as threatened under federal law and a state species of special concern. The effort also benefits the San Francisco garter snake, an endangered and fully protected species, and the California red-legged frog, listed as threatened under federal law and a state species of special concern. The permit is authorized under section 1670 of the Fish and Game Code, and the project has been classified as a Qualifying Restoration Project under section 1671(d)(1), acknowledging its potential to deliver substantial and cumulative ecological benefits to native fish, wildlife, and their habitats. The permit authorizes activities necessary to improve fish passage and habitat conditions in the creek to support species recovery and ecosystem resilience. The project is managed under the oversight of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Region 3 – Bay Delta, with primary contact information provided for both the county and state representatives. Julie Casagrande, Natural Resource Manager for San Mateo County, serves as the point of contact for the permittee, while Desiree Dela Vega, Environmental Scientist with CDFW, is the lead state agency contact. The project was posted on the state’s environmental tracking system on May 28, 2026, and is associated with the project ID 2023090380. No solicitation or procurement details are included, as this is a restoration permit issued under regulatory authority rather than a competitive procurement. The location of the work is along Little Butano Creek in San Mateo County, California, with activities focused on improving stream connectivity, stabilizing banks, enhancing riparian vegetation, and removing barriers to fish migration.