Proposition 68: Southern Steelhead Grant Program

The Proposition 68: Southern Steelhead Grant Program aims to restore and protect Southern California Steelhead habitat, enhancing fish passage and modernizing infrastructure. Funded by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, this program supports projects that address climate change impacts, improve ecosystems, and promote recreational opportunities. With a competitive funding approach, grants are contingent upon available resources, emphasizing priority for projects that remove barriers to steelhead migration and restore critical habitats.

The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, And Outdoor Access For All Act Of 2018 (Proposition 68) funding for CDFW grants for projects that:

• improve a community's ability to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change
• improve and protect coastal and rural economies, agricultural viability, wildlife corridors, or habitat
• develop future recreational opportunities, or
• enhance drought tolerance, landscape resilience, and water retention
• The CDFW Watershed Restoration Grants Branch distributes Proposition 68 funds on a competitive basis to projects that address these priorities:
• River and Stream Restoration - Restoration of rivers and streams for fisheries and wildlife
• Southern Steelhead Habitat Restoration - Restoration of Southern California Steelhead habitat

Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration - Improvement of conditions for fish and wildlife in streams, rivers, wildlife refuges, wetland habitat areas, and estuaries
Funding is available for PRC section 80132(e)(2) for restoration of Southern California Steelhead habitat consistent with the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Steelhead Restoration and Management Plan and the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Southern California Steelhead Recovery Plan.
Modernizing stream crossings, culverts, and bridges; and
Restoring or enhancing habitat.
Projects that remove significant barriers to steelhead migration and include other habitat restoration and associated infrastructure improvements will be the highest priority (PRC §80132[e][2]).
Funding
Funding for competitive grants will be contingent upon fund availability. Proposition 68, passed by California voters in June 2018, amended the PRC to add, among other articles, section 80132, subdivisions (d), (e)(2), and (g), authorizing the Legislature to appropriate up to $25,000,000 to CDFW to restore and protect rivers and streams in support of fisheries and wildlife, including $5,000,000 in the KlamathTrinity watersheds; up to $30,000,000 to CDFW to restore Southern California Steelhead habitat; and up to $30,000,000 to CDFW to improve conditions for fish and wildlife in streams, rivers, wildlife refuges, wetland habitat areas, and estuaries; respectively.