Cachagua Creek Fish Passage Design Wins $184,774 State Restoration Grant to Help Steelhead

CACHAGUA, Monterey County — October 28, 2026. A migration barrier in Cachagua Creek is among the projects supported by California’s latest fisheries restoration funding. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced on January 20, 2026 that Trout Unlimited received $184,774 for the Cachagua Creek Fish Passage Alternative Plan/Design Project — Quevedo, an engineering effort intended to help federally threatened south-central California coast steelhead travel through an important tributary to the Carmel River.

What is obstructing fish movement?

A concrete vehicle ford crossing the creek partly blocks steelhead passage across different life stages. Such barriers can make upstream migration difficult for adult fish and obstruct downstream movement by juveniles. The state says the project will prepare an alternative plan and design to address the crossing, including studying the feasibility of replacing it with a free-span bridge.

What does the $184,774 award pay for?

The announced funds are for design and planning. The project’s scope includes assessing the existing barrier, comparing options for removal or modification, and producing the engineering package for the preferred design. Field geotechnical work, if needed, would require necessary permits and agency authorizations. This funding announcement does not mean a bridge has already been built or the ford removed.

How is Cachagua connected to the river?

Cachagua Creek flows into the Carmel River system, where cold-water habitat and passage through tributaries matter to steelhead recovery. Better migration routes can help adults reach spawning habitat and allow young fish to move between rearing and refuge areas. The project’s exact design and environmental safeguards would be developed before construction.

Does the announcement authorize access onto private land?

No. The crossing serves a private residence, and any construction or environmental survey must follow applicable access agreements and permits. The state grant alone does not establish a public right to enter the property or promise public access to a new bridge.

Primary sources

CDFW — January 20, 2026 salmon and steelhead restoration grant awards. The state lists the Cachagua Quevedo project, $184,774 to Trout Unlimited, separately from other river-crossing projects in the region. This report does not assert a construction start or completion date absent a later agency notice.

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