City staff and RiverPartners presented an update Nov. 5 on planning for a Lower Kern River Habitat Restoration Project that would restore riparian and upland habitat across roughly 600 acres along about an eight‑mile reach of the river.

Anna Tolkan, restoration ecologist and project manager with RiverPartners, described the group’s restoration approach, which uses large‑scale planting, irrigation during a 3–5 year establishment period, weed control and then a transition to self‑sustaining riparian habitat. "The first step is site preparation — removing non‑native vegetation, installing drip irrigation, labeling planting locations and moving in crews to plant thousands of trees in a single week," Tolkan said.

Tolkan listed five project goals: create self‑sustaining riparian habitat across 600 acres, enhance wildlife use, expand pollinator habitat, increase climate resiliency and provide stewardship and recreation opportunities. She said previous RiverPartners work at Panorama Vista Preserve — roughly 965 acres with about 300 acres restored to date — demonstrated rapid vegetation establishment and wildlife benefits.

Water department staff said the project team will submit an application for the Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects (SERP) to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife; because the city owns the property, the city would be the lead agency for the project. Staff said they expect planning, permits and reporting to be complete by March 2026 and that council would be asked in early 2026 to adopt a resolution confirming SERP eligibility.

The city also described parallel channel maintenance planning and possible habitat enhancement concepts such as inland lakes, new paths and boardwalks in some locations. Staff and RiverPartners said implementation would rely on phased grant funding, mitigation opportunities tied to channel maintenance, and coordination with regulatory agencies.

No specific appropriation or adoption of SERP occurred Nov. 5; the item was presented as an informational report and the council voted to receive and file the report.