Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District

1. Riverside County Flood Controland Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Flood Control, Environmental Restoration and Recreation Project June 2006 Zully Smith Senior Civil Engineer Special Projects Section

2. Murrieta Creek 1993 • Murrieta Creek Flood Control, Environmental Restoration and Recreation Project • Partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • +$100 million • 7.5 miles of Channel • Riparian Corridor • Multi Use – Multi Benefits

3. Murrieta Creek Flood Control, Environmental Restoration and Recreation Project Existing Conditions Proposed Facility

4. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Existing Condition @ B Street Proposed Design @ B Street

5. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation DistrictFACTS AND FIGURES • Construction contract for Phase 1 was awarded on September 30, 2003 and work was initiated in December 2003. • Ground Breaking Ceremony took place on November 12, 2003 at the Temecula Community Center. • Contract was awarded to Oregon Mountain Contractors and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. • Phase 1 included the construction of approximately 3000 LF of trapezoidal earthen channel with 2:1 side slopes and a 70 foot vegetative strip along the east side (left bank – looking downstream.)

6. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction First Street Bridge December 2003

7. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Over 300,000 cubic yards of dirt were removed from the channel as the invert was excavated to a depth of approximately 20 feet.

8. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Ditches were excavated for the placement of the irrigation systems.

9. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Decomposed granite was placed along the access road/ equestrian trail and riparian vegetation was planted in the channel invert and slopes.

10. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction … and then the rains came. In October 2004 the skies clouded up and the wettest winter in Southern California history began.

11. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction The vegetation that had just been placed hadn’t had a chance to become established and much of it was lost. The slopes suffered erosions as large amounts of sediment were deposited in the invert.

12. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction November 2004 More rain – more damages…

13. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Oregon Mountain Contractors began the cleanup process in late November 2004.

14. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Oregon Mountain Contractors completed the project and turned it over to the Corps of Engineers on December 16, 2004.

15. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction … and then more clouds brought more rain. December 27, 2004 was the first day of almost 11 straight days of rain in the Murrieta Creek Watershed.

16. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction January 2005 The channel conveyed over 11,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) of tributary stormflows. (Design capacity for Phase 1 is 22,300 cfs.)

17. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Once again, the majority of the vegetation had not had a chance to become sufficiently established and the project suffered extensive damages. The rains continued through April 2005 causing multiple problems with the irrigation system and un- established slopes.

18. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Spring is in the air… … and whatever didn’t wash away began to bloom in a spectacular display of color.

19. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Summer 2005 - The Corps constructs a new drop structure just downstream of the 1st Street Bridge to prevent further erosion downstream and to stabilize the system upstream and prevent any further headcutting. The majority of the Federal funds appropriated in 2005 ($1.8 million) were used to make repairs.

20. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Fall & Winter 2005-2006 Repairs are made to the large erosions along Pujol Road (west bank) and drainage ditches are constructed to covey the flows safely into the creek.

21. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Spring 2006 Once again, Phase 1 is in full bloom.

22. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District The Corps will award what is hoped to be the final contract to make the last of the repairs, which will include the excavation of the invert to design grades, the regrading and recompacting of the slopes and the reestablishment of the vegetated corridor along the east side and the slopes. This is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2006. Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Summer 2006

23. Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Murrieta Creek Phase1 Construction Summer 2006 Stay tuned for more exciting news and updates. Should you have an questions regarding the Murrieta Creek Flood Control, Environmental Restoration and Recreation Project, please contact Zully Smith Special Projects Section 951-955-1200.