San Pablo Bay Watershed Restoration
Program—Drafting a Watershed
Management Plan
Daria Mazey
Senior Project Planner,
San Francisco District
(415) 503-6856
Daria.S.Mazey@usace.army.mil
US Army Corps of Engineers
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San Francisco District
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
As of 4-March-11
18-Aug-09
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Watershed Study Goals
 Rehabilitate natural processes within the San Pablo Bay
watershed system.
 Protect existing high quality habitat throughout the
watershed.
 Restore degraded habitat to high quality ecological and
hydrologic function.
 Sustain a healthy community of native species.
 Improve and maintain water quality and in-stream flow.
 Prevent the establishment of new non-native species,
and curb the expansion of existing non-native species.
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
As
of 18-Aug-09
4-March-11
As of
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Support Given by Program
Promote and support watershed
restoration (since 1999)
 Facilitation of partnership meetings
 Hydrologic modeling of stream & tidal
flows
 Survey conditions and restoration
opportunities
 Preliminary restoration design
 Levee stability analysis
 Watershed mapping support
 Water quality enhancement support
 Endangered species habitat restoration
 Additional design & support studies
• Technical, Planning, and Design
Support on 15 different projects
• Initial Plan Development Support on 11
different projects
As
of 18-Aug-09
4-March-11
As of
Western Contra Costa
County Watershed
Map
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
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US Army Corps of Engineers
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As of 18-Aug-09
4-March-11
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What the Draft WMP Does…
 Describes the program:
► Authority
► History
► Goals
► Framework
Plan
► Partners & stakeholders
► Public involvement & coordination efforts
► Mapping & GIS
► Restoration Projects to Date
► Regional Restoration Planning Documents
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
As of 18-Aug-09
4-March-11
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Watershed Description
 Physical Description
 Land Use
 Hydrology, Hydraulics and Sedimentation
Analysis
 Water Quality
 San Pablo Bay Watershed- Biological
Resources
 Land Use History and Cultural Resources
 Significance of Resources
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
As of
of 4-March-11
18-Aug-09
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On Significance…
“The San Pablo Bay watershed is part of the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary,
one of the largest estuaries in North America. The Estuary includes San
Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta. The Estuary watershed drains more than 40 percent of California’s
surface area. The Estuary is one of the most important ecological units on
the west coast of North America, and certainly the most ecologically
valuable estuary in California. San Pablo Bay lies between the less salty
Suisun Bay and the saltier San Francisco Bay. The extreme importance of
this area ecologically is highlighted by the pressure for development that
this area also receives. Close to San Francisco, Vallejo, Richmond, Napa,
Novato, Petaluma, Pinole, and other growing urban areas, the San
Francisco Bay area and North Bay counties are centers for growth and
prosperity, which can put added pressure for development on ecologically
sensitive and rare places.”
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
As of
of 4-March-11
18-Aug-09
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Problems
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E&T Species
Flood Risk
Physical and Hydrological Alteration of the Watershed
High Demand for Water and Limited Supply
Poor Water Quality
Non-native Invasive Species
Erosion and Sedimentation
Loss and Degradation of Habitat
Loss of Biodiversity
Urban Development
How to Determine Ecological Value ($)
Challenges and Risk Management
As of
of 4-March-11
18-Aug-09
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
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On Valuing Ecosystems…
“While all of the value inherent in ecosystems cannot necessarily be
measured in economic terms, it is useful for project proponents to
demonstrate that the value of the project’s benefits exceeds the cost
of achieving those benefits. Project proponents should consider
carefully how their proposed actions will help meet Program
objectives, what the environmental and social benefits of their projects
are, and what kind of investments will be required to produce their
desired outputs. For accepted projects to be funded by the USACE,
detailed cost benefit and incremental cost analyses will be required.
While the USACE can offer assistance in formulating these detailed
analyses, it is important for project proponents to have a qualitative
understanding of the costs and benefits of their proposed actions from
project inception forward. Project proponents should also develop an
understanding of the risks and uncertainties associated with expected
project outcomes. Guidance on these concepts is provided in the
USACE document ER 1105-2-100 (USACE 2000c).”
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
As of
of 4-March-11
18-Aug-09
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Opportunities
 Restore Ecological Resources and Prevent Further
Damage
 Coordinated Restoration
 Reduce Flood Risk
 Beneficial Use of Dredged Materials on Subsided Sites
for Wetland Restoration
 Recreation
 Sediment Research
 Minimize Erosion and Sedimentation
 Minimize Polluted Runoff
 Invasive Control and Native Plantings
US Army Corps of Engineers
 Create Buffers
San Francisco District
As of
of 4-March-11
18-Aug-09
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Addressing Problems &
Opportunities
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Objectives
Potential Measures
Plan Formulation
WRDA 2007, Section 5053
Proposed Restoration Projects
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
As of
of 4-March-11
18-Aug-09
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WRDA 2007, Sec 5053
“The Secretary may participate in
critical restoration projects that
will produce, consistent with
Federal programs, projects, and
activities, immediate and
substantial ecosystem
restoration, preservation, and
protection benefits in the
following sub-watersheds..:”
A) The tidal areas of the Petaluma
River, Napa-Sonoma Marsh
B) The shoreline of West Contra
Costa County
C) Novato Creek
D) Suisun Marsh
E) Gallinas-Miller Creek
Types of Assistance Authorized:
planning, design, construction
Limit: $40 million
4-March-2011
As of
18-Aug-09
Insert map here
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San Francisco District
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Proposed Restoration Projects
Contra Costa:
 Pinole Creek
 Wildcat Creek
 Rodeo Creek
 Rheem Creek
Marin:
 Lower Novato Creek
 Lower Las Gallinas and Miller Creek
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
As
of 18-Aug-09
4-March-2011
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Solano:
 Rush Ranch Diked Marsh Restoration (Suisun
Marsh)
 River Park
 Hanns Park/Blue Rock Springs Corridor
 White Slough
 Lake Dalwigk
Napa:
 Zinfandel Lane Bridge Fish Passage
Improvement Project
 South Napa Wetlands
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
4-March-2011
As
of 18-Aug-09
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Sonoma:
 Petaluma River and Sonoma Creek
Watersheds Streams Restoration and
Sediment Control Projects
 San Antonio Creek Wetlands and Habitat
Restoration Project
 Sears Point Wetland and Watershed
Restoration Project
 Napa River Salt Marsh Recycled Water
US Army Corps of Engineers
Project (Phase I)
San Francisco District
As of 18-Aug-09
4-March-2011
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Where We’re At Now…
 Potential $500,000 in President’s Budget
 Identify two or three initial projects for technical planning
and design assistance
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Projects should be identified in WRDA 2007, Section 5053.
Projects should have an identified non-Federal Sponsor with
money to cost share.
Projects should claim only a portion of the $40 million cumulative
budget provided in Section 5053.
Projects should reflect a range of geographic diversity in the
watershed.
Projects should be at an appropriate state of readiness.
 May be able to use Section 5053 construction authority
 Regional approach has been successful
US Army Corps of Engineers
 Continued collaboration
San Francisco District
As of 18-Aug-09
4-March-2011
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Planning for Sea Level Rise
 SF Bay Joint Venture Paper (2008): restoration planning in
the context of sea level rise
 USACE, Bureau of Rec, USGS, NOAA (2009): Climate
Change and Water Resources Management: A Federal
Perspective
 US Geological Survey Paper (2010): Potential Inundation Due
to Rising Sea Levels in the SF Bay Area
 USACE & Bureau of Reclamation (2011): Identifying Climate
Change User Needs for Long-Term Water Resources
Planning and Management
 USACE Multi-Scenario Based Planning
► Engineering Circular (EC) 1165-2-211: Incorporating SeaLevel Change Considerations in Civil Works Programs
► Hamilton & Shoreline
US Army Corps of Engineers
San Francisco District
As of 18-Aug-09
4-March-2011
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