Ione creek committee schedules Fish and Wildlife site visit, seeks permit amendment and funding options

The Ione Creek Committee discussed plans to amend its Fish and Game permit, scheduled a site visit with California Department of Fish and Wildlife staff for next Thursday at 10:00 a.m., and reviewed persistent erosion and blockages along Spring Creek that members said are threatening banks and nearby homes.

Committee members told the meeting they have been coordinating with agency staff and volunteers to remove fallen trees, clear debris and seek a permit amendment that would allow additional work this summer. "The update is we actually, we have things going on in the creek right now," a committee member said during the presentation. Members said California Department of Fish and Wildlife staff — including Zach Kern and a newly introduced staffer, Haley Donaldson — plan to walk the creek with the committee to identify locations for potential removal or stabilization work.

The permit and timeline were a central concern. Committee members said the current Fish and Game permit for creek work expires in April and that they will seek an extension that would…