San Pablo Bay Watershed Restoration Program—Drafting a Watershed Management Plan

1. Daria Mazey Senior Project Planner, San Francisco District (415) 503-6856 Daria.S.Mazey@usace.army.mil San Pablo Bay Watershed Restoration Program—Drafting a Watershed Management Plan Building Strong on the Cornerstone of the Southwest US Army Corps of Engineers BUILDING STRONG® San Francisco District

2. As of 4-March-11

3. 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. As of 4-March-11

4. 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 Western Contra Costa County Watershed Map As of 4-March-11

6. 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 As of 4-March-11

7. 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 As of 4-March-11

8. 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.” As of 4-March-11

9. Problems • 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 4-March-11

10. 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).” As of 4-March-11

11. 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 • Create Buffers As of 4-March-11

12. Addressing Problems & Opportunities • Objectives • Potential Measures • Plan Formulation • WRDA 2007, Section 5053 • Proposed Restoration Projects As of 4-March-11

13. 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 Insert map here

14. Proposed Restoration Projects Contra Costa: • Pinole Creek • Wildcat Creek • Rodeo Creek • Rheem Creek Marin: • Lower Novato Creek • Lower Las Gallinas and Miller Creek 4-March-2011

15. 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 4-March-2011

16. 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 Project (Phase I) 4-March-2011

17. Where We’re At Now… • Potential $500,000 in President’s Budget • Identify two or three initial projects for technical planning and design assistance • 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 • Continued collaboration 4-March-2011

18. 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 Sea-Level Change Considerations in Civil Works Programs • Hamilton & Shoreline 4-March-2011