Lower French Creek Sediment Reduction and Fish Passage Improvement Project

On June 9, 2026, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a Statewide Restoration General Order Notice of Applicability to Madison McGroarty of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for the Lower French Creek Sediment Reduction and Fish Passage Improvement Project. The project aims to enhance fish passage in the lower reach of French Creek near its confluence with the Scott River by increasing channel depth and flow velocity during low-flow conditions to improve aquatic habitat connectivity. The notice confirms the applicability of the statewide general order to this specific restoration effort and identifies the project under WDID No. 1A26052WNSI. The work is located in the vicinity of Etna, California, and is designed to address sediment-related barriers to fish movement while promoting ecological recovery in the watershed. The project is overseen by the Regional Water Quality Control Board, Region 1 – North Coast, based in Santa Rosa, California, with Jacob Shannon, Senior Environmental Scientist, serving as the primary point of contact for regulatory matters. Madison McGroarty, Private Lands Biologist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, is the designated recipient and project representative. The notice was published through the CEQA Net portal and is classified as a forecast entry with no solicitation number or set-aside designation. No NAICS code or organizational type is specified, indicating this is a regulatory authorization rather than a procurement action, and the focus remains on water quality compliance and habitat restoration under the Board’s jurisdiction.