Adobe Creek
Historic #2 Spawning Stream
Historically the second most important hitch spawning tributary. Runs through Big Valley and the Kelseyville farming corridor before entering Clear Lake on the south shore. Most frequented stream in 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023, and 2025.
263-2344
Source: CDFW and Lake County WPD visual spawner surveys, lake-wide counts through the 2025 season. Source archive · USGS OFR 2025-1018
| Year | Spawners (lake-wide) |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Fewer than 500 |
| 2014 | 1,119 |
| 2016 | 693 |
| 2017 | 517 |
| 2018 | 1,153 |
| 2019 | 612 |
| 2020 | 1,672 |
| 2021 | 120 |
| 2022 | 306 |
| 2023 | 2,548 |
| 2024 | 1,042 |
| 2025 | 1,567 |
Clear Lake's Historic Second Stream
Adobe Creek has been the most frequented hitch spawning tributary in more survey years than any other creek in the dataset: 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023, and 2025. In some of those years it even eclipsed Kelsey. That makes it the clearest illustration of how hitch distribute their spawning effort: in good water years, multiple tributaries carry significant runs. Only in the worst drought years does everything collapse to a single stream.
The creek runs through Big Valley agricultural land before reaching the lake, picking up flow from Highland Creek upstream. Its lower reach passes through working farmland and road crossings that introduce multiple documented fish passage barriers: culverts, crossings, and channel modifications that impede or delay hitch migration in low-flow years.
2024 to 2025 Survey Status
Adult hitch confirmed at Adobe Creek in both CDFW visual surveys. Among the most active tributaries in each season.
Location
Rises in the Mayacamas Mountains · flows through Big Valley agricultural land · enters Clear Lake on south shore near Kelseyville. Highland Creek joins upstream.
Multiple Passage Barriers
Several road crossings and culverts in the lower reach documented as fish passage barriers. Exact locations and severity under active assessment by LCWPD.
Historic Rank
Most frequented tributary in 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023, and 2025. Only Kelsey Creek rivals Adobe for total spawning importance over the full survey record.
Adobe Creek in the field
Hitch reaching the Adobe reservoir dam in 2023, eggs and egg desiccation, fish stranded by disconnecting side channels, and the dry summer bed at Bell Hill Road.
Annual Observations: Adobe Creek
| Year | Adults at Adobe | Lake-wide Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Confirmed | 1,567 | Among leading tributaries |
| 2024 | Confirmed | 1,042 | Federal ESA listing proposed Jan 2025 |
| 2023 | Confirmed | 2,548 ★ | Record year after heavy winter rains |
| 2022 | Limited | 306 | Drought year, marginal flow |
| 2021 | Dry / near-zero | 120 | Catastrophic drought: tributaries ran dry |
| 2020 | Not observed | 1,672 | All lake-wide hitch were in Kelsey Creek that year; Adobe ran low |
| 2019 | Limited | 612 | Kelsey primary stream; Adobe ran marginal that season |
| 2018 | Active | 1,153 | Adobe led; Kelsey major contributor |
| 2017 | Active | 517 | First year USGS baseline gillnet surveys; both creeks running |