Elk River Estuary and Inter-Tidal Enhancement Project DEPARTMENT ...
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. AGENDA SUMMARY EUREKA CITY COUNCIL
TITLE:
Elk River Estuary and Inter-Tidal Enhancement Project
DEPARTMENT:
Development Services
PREPARED BY:
Rob Holmlund
PRESENTED FOR:
X Action
☐Information only
☐Discussion
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the Prop 1 Grant with its conditions and adopt a Resolution accepting the initial funding for the Elk River Estuary and Inter-Tidal Enhancement Project
FISCAL IMPACT ☐No Fiscal Impact
☐Included in Budget
X Additional Appropriation
COUNCIL GOALS/STRATEGIC VISION Vision 2030: Alive Waterfront Goals 2020: South Gateway Beautification
DISCUSSION The purpose of this resolution is to accept a $350,000 grant (with no matching funds from the City) from the California Coastal Conservancy to implement a multi-phase project to expand and enhance Elk River’s estuary and restore inter-tidal wetlands on Elk River on approximately 223 acres.
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. This proposal is for the first Phase, which includes planning and conceptual design on 123 acres owned by the City of Eureka (COE) (Areas 1 and 2) and on an additional 100 acres owned by multiple public and private entities (Areas 3 and 4). The first phase of this project will be a collaboration that brings together multiple property owners, agencies, and stakeholders. In Phase II final engineering designs, environmental documents, permits, and construction bid estimate will be prepared. Phase III will entail construction first on COE properties and subsequently on properties to the South.
REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY:
X City Attorney ☐City Clerk/Information Services
AGENDA DATE: X
ITEM NO.
Development Services ☐Finance ☐Fire X Parks and Recreation ☐Personnel ☐Police X Public Works
ATTACHMENTS:
Project Description: This is a multiphase project to expand and enhance Elk River’s estuary and restore intertidal wetlands on Elk River on approximately 223 acres. This proposal is for the first Phase, which includes planning and conceptual design on 123 acres owned by the City of Eureka (COE) (Areas 1 and 2) and on an additional 100 acres owned by multiple public and private entities (Areas 3 and 4). The first phase of this project will be a collaboration that brings together multiple property owners, agencies, and stakeholders. In Phase II final engineering designs, environmental documents, permits, and construction bid estimate will be prepared. Phase III will entail construction first on COE properties and subsequently on properties to the South. Staff Contact Person: Riley Topolewski, Senior Planner; City of Eureka, Community Development Department; 531 “K” Street, Eureka, CA 955011165; phone: (707) 2681971, fax: (707) 4414202, email: [email protected] Staff Recommendation and Suggested Motion: Accept the Prop 1 Grant with its conditions and adopt a Resolution accepting the initial funding for the Elk River Estuary and InterTidal Enhancement Project Background:
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. Goal: •
To expand and enhance the estuary of Elk River and restore intertidal wetland habitats on up to 223 acres of former Bay lands. Objectives: • Enhance resiliency to sea level rise of approximately 23 acres (Area 1) of salt marsh. • Eradicate invasive Spartina on 23 acres (Area 1) of salt marsh. • Restore and enhance approximately 223 acres of intertidal channels, offchannel ponds and salt marsh wetlands, on 123 acres owned by the COE in Areas 1 and 2, and up to another 100 acres owned by multiple public and private entities in Areas 3 and 4. • Create eelgrass and native Olympia oyster reef habitats in proposed intertidal wetland channels. • Provide recreational and access opportunities for the public to explore intertidal wetland channels in Elk River’s estuary. • Create living shoreline salt marsh plains (Areas 1, 2 and 3) to protect U.S. Highway 101, North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) railroad, and sewer transmission line from shoreline erosion. • Form a collaboration between multiple property owners: COE who owns approximately 123 acres of the Project area (Areas 1 and 2) and other property owners (Areas 3 and 4): Humboldt County, Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District (HBHRCD), National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) holds a conservation easement, Caltrans, NCRA, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), and several other private property owners. The collaboration will also include other interested stakeholders: Humboldt Community Services District (HCSD), State Coastal Conservancy, Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Coastal Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, California Trout and other nonprofit organizations, and local property owners impacted by recurring flooding east of U.S. Highway 101.
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO.
Figure 1. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement Areas 14.
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. Area 1: The COE owns this 23acre parcel, which has an earthen unfortified dike along Elk River Slough with two top hinged tide gates. The tide gates leak and have created a muted tide cycle that tidally inundates salt marsh habitat dominated by Spartina and exposed tidal channels, which currently do not support Eelgrass (Figure 2). The three sides of this area are occupied by a paved access road and trailhead/commuter parking area and U.S. Highway 101, the COE’s Hikshari’ Trail, and NCRA’s railroad grade.
Figure 2. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 1, looking southwest to Area 2 and Humboldt Bay. Area 2: The COE owns this 100acre parcel that is currently used to graze livestock (Figure 3). A naturally occurring sand ridge parallel to Elk River Slough (Figure 4), as well as U.S. Highway 101 to the east, and the NCRA railroad to the west, prevent tidal inundation of this low lying area that ranges in elevation from 3 to 7 feet (NAVD 88). Vehicular access is from the Highway 101 Humboldt Hill off ramp and Tooby Road. A HCSD forced main sewer line runs from King Salmon to the Elk River Waste Water Treatment Plant on the north bank of Elk River parallels the railroad grade. The natural drainage pattern in this area has been altered and consists of a series of ditches that convey stormwater to a culvert and tide gate under Highway 101 that drains this property to Elk River.
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO.
Figure 3. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 2, looking west to NCRA shoreline fortifications.
Figure 4. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 2, south bank of Elk River, intertidal wetlands and Area 2 grazing pasture. Area 3: This area is to the south of the COE’s parcel; is private property where the NRCS has a wetland conservation easement on approximately 27.5 acres (Figure 5) and further south is property that PG&E owns down to King Salmon Avenue. The NRCS property like Area 2 is also currently used to graze livestock. The NRCS property is very similar to Area 2 in that it is bound by Highway 101 and the NCRA railroad grade. The NRCS property also drains to the COE’s property to the north. To the south of the NRCS property, PG&E’s property is bisected by the NCRA’s railroad: the western half is salt marsh that drains to Buhne Slough/King Salmon canal via a tidegate and also by a culvert under King Salmon Avenue draining to the south (Figure 6). This parcel is also bordered on the west by an access road to PG&E’s HBPP. The eastern parcel
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. is freshwater or brackish wetlands between Highway 101, railroad, and King Salmon Avenue with culverts under the railroad and Highway that connect drainage areas to the east with Buhne Slough as well as a culvert under King Salmon Avenue that drains to the south.
Figure 5. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 3, adjacent to Area 2 looking southwest towards PG&E power plant.
Figure 6. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 3, looking northwest from King Salmon Avenue towards PG&E power plant and northeast to NCRA railroad grade. Area 4: This area is south of King Salmon Avenue contains several parcels that are owned by: HBHRCD, Humboldt County, and private parties. The easternmost property borders South Bay where the dike has been breached in several locations and is now converting to salt marsh and mud flat habitats. To the west is publicly owned property behind earthen and unfortified dikes that is predominately tidal or freshwater wetlands with a tide gate that drains to the King Salmon Canal, Buhne Slough (Figure 7).
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO.
Figure 7. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 4, HBHRCD property looking towards South Bay. Specific Tasks 1. Prepare an environmental site analysis of Areas 14. These analyses will be utilized in the preparation of conceptual designs and regulatory constraint analysis. These analyses will also be utilized in the preparation of environmental documents, engineering designs, and in the acquisition of regulatory authorizations. • Surface TopographyLiDAR. • Hydrologic survey. • Soil/Geologic survey. • Underground utilities survey. • Vegetative mappingspecies of concern survey. • Wildlife habitat mappingspecies of concern survey. • Cultural resources survey. 2. Prepare constraint analysis for Areas 14 based on environmental site surveys, applicable environmental laws, property or rightofway easement boundaries, and conceptual design alternatives. 3. Develop a range of feasible, pursuant to constraint analysis, conceptual design alternatives for Areas 14. 4. Convene advisory team (property owners, regulatory agencies, and stakeholders) to review environmental site surveys, constraints analysis, and range of conceptual design alternatives for Areas 1 through 4.
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. Property Owners: City of Eureka, HCSD, Caltrans, NCRA, Humboldt Co., HBHRCD, NRCS, PG&E, and several (~7) private property owners. • Regulatory Agencies: CCC, DFW, USACE, NMFS, and USFWS. • Stakeholders: Coastal Conservancy, South Broadway properties (flooding issues), Humboldt Baykeeper, California Trout, Audubon, and Humboldt Trail Alliance. 5. Produce hydrologic model(s) of lower Elk River Slough to inform engineering designs in Area 12. 6. Develop engineering design package (30%) for Areas 1 and 2. This will include a series of sheets showing plan views, profiles and cross sections of existing topography, proposed topography, existing vegetation type/habitats, proposed vegetation types/habitats, estimates of cut and fill volumes, calculations of approximate vegetation types/habitats/wetlands areas proposed and net changes, and engineeringconstruction notes. The engineering design package will also include a basis of design report that explain the design criteria being used and the expected outcomes of the Project. 7. Convene advisory team to review preliminary (30%) engineering design for Areas 1 and 2. 8. Prepare environmental documents (Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, Environmental Assessment and Alternative Analysis, and Biological Assessment) and permit applications/consultations (Caltrans, NCRA, City/County, HBHRCD, DFW, NCRWQCB, CCC, USACE, NMFS and USFWS). 9. Project Management. The Consultant will manage all subconsultants contracts and work efforts and prepare progress payment requests. 10. Contract administration. The City will manage the grant, progress payment requests, consultant contract and interface with the State Coastal Conservancy. •
TASK PHASE I TASKS 1 Prepare an environmental site analysis of Areas 1-4 Surface Topography-LiDAR Hydrologic survey of Areas 1-4 and lower Elk River Slough Soil/Geologic survey Underground utilities survey Vegetative mapping-species of concern survey Wildlife habitat mapping-species of concern survey Cultural resources survey
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Prepare regulatory constraint analysis Develop a range of conceptual design alternatives for Areas 1-4, including Spartina eradication Convene advisory team to review environmental site analysis, regulatory constraints, conceptual design alternatives Produce hydrologic model(s) of lower Elk River Slough, for use in designing Areas 1-2 Develop preliminary (30%) engineering design package for Areas 1 and 2 Convene advisory team to review preliminary (30%) engineering design for Areas 1 and 2 Prepare environmental documents (3) and permit applications (11) Sub-Total Project management Sub-Total Contract administration TOTAL
BUDGET $62,000.00 $5,000.00 $17,000.00 $10,000.00 $5,000.00 $10,000.00 $10,000.00 $5,000.00 $10,000.00 $43,400.00 $10,000.00 $31,000.00 $50,000.00 $5,000.00 $93,600.00 $305,000.00 $25,000.00 $330,000.00 $20,000.00 $350,000.00
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO.
TITLE:
Elk River Estuary and Inter-Tidal Enhancement Project
DEPARTMENT:
Development Services
PREPARED BY:
Rob Holmlund
PRESENTED FOR:
X Action
☐Information only
☐Discussion
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the Prop 1 Grant with its conditions and adopt a Resolution accepting the initial funding for the Elk River Estuary and Inter-Tidal Enhancement Project
FISCAL IMPACT ☐No Fiscal Impact
☐Included in Budget
X Additional Appropriation
COUNCIL GOALS/STRATEGIC VISION Vision 2030: Alive Waterfront Goals 2020: South Gateway Beautification
DISCUSSION The purpose of this resolution is to accept a $350,000 grant (with no matching funds from the City) from the California Coastal Conservancy to implement a multi-phase project to expand and enhance Elk River’s estuary and restore inter-tidal wetlands on Elk River on approximately 223 acres.
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. This proposal is for the first Phase, which includes planning and conceptual design on 123 acres owned by the City of Eureka (COE) (Areas 1 and 2) and on an additional 100 acres owned by multiple public and private entities (Areas 3 and 4). The first phase of this project will be a collaboration that brings together multiple property owners, agencies, and stakeholders. In Phase II final engineering designs, environmental documents, permits, and construction bid estimate will be prepared. Phase III will entail construction first on COE properties and subsequently on properties to the South.
REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY:
X City Attorney ☐City Clerk/Information Services
AGENDA DATE: X
ITEM NO.
Development Services ☐Finance ☐Fire X Parks and Recreation ☐Personnel ☐Police X Public Works
ATTACHMENTS:
Project Description: This is a multiphase project to expand and enhance Elk River’s estuary and restore intertidal wetlands on Elk River on approximately 223 acres. This proposal is for the first Phase, which includes planning and conceptual design on 123 acres owned by the City of Eureka (COE) (Areas 1 and 2) and on an additional 100 acres owned by multiple public and private entities (Areas 3 and 4). The first phase of this project will be a collaboration that brings together multiple property owners, agencies, and stakeholders. In Phase II final engineering designs, environmental documents, permits, and construction bid estimate will be prepared. Phase III will entail construction first on COE properties and subsequently on properties to the South. Staff Contact Person: Riley Topolewski, Senior Planner; City of Eureka, Community Development Department; 531 “K” Street, Eureka, CA 955011165; phone: (707) 2681971, fax: (707) 4414202, email: [email protected] Staff Recommendation and Suggested Motion: Accept the Prop 1 Grant with its conditions and adopt a Resolution accepting the initial funding for the Elk River Estuary and InterTidal Enhancement Project Background:
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. Goal: •
To expand and enhance the estuary of Elk River and restore intertidal wetland habitats on up to 223 acres of former Bay lands. Objectives: • Enhance resiliency to sea level rise of approximately 23 acres (Area 1) of salt marsh. • Eradicate invasive Spartina on 23 acres (Area 1) of salt marsh. • Restore and enhance approximately 223 acres of intertidal channels, offchannel ponds and salt marsh wetlands, on 123 acres owned by the COE in Areas 1 and 2, and up to another 100 acres owned by multiple public and private entities in Areas 3 and 4. • Create eelgrass and native Olympia oyster reef habitats in proposed intertidal wetland channels. • Provide recreational and access opportunities for the public to explore intertidal wetland channels in Elk River’s estuary. • Create living shoreline salt marsh plains (Areas 1, 2 and 3) to protect U.S. Highway 101, North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) railroad, and sewer transmission line from shoreline erosion. • Form a collaboration between multiple property owners: COE who owns approximately 123 acres of the Project area (Areas 1 and 2) and other property owners (Areas 3 and 4): Humboldt County, Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District (HBHRCD), National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) holds a conservation easement, Caltrans, NCRA, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), and several other private property owners. The collaboration will also include other interested stakeholders: Humboldt Community Services District (HCSD), State Coastal Conservancy, Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Coastal Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, California Trout and other nonprofit organizations, and local property owners impacted by recurring flooding east of U.S. Highway 101.
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO.
Figure 1. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement Areas 14.
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. Area 1: The COE owns this 23acre parcel, which has an earthen unfortified dike along Elk River Slough with two top hinged tide gates. The tide gates leak and have created a muted tide cycle that tidally inundates salt marsh habitat dominated by Spartina and exposed tidal channels, which currently do not support Eelgrass (Figure 2). The three sides of this area are occupied by a paved access road and trailhead/commuter parking area and U.S. Highway 101, the COE’s Hikshari’ Trail, and NCRA’s railroad grade.
Figure 2. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 1, looking southwest to Area 2 and Humboldt Bay. Area 2: The COE owns this 100acre parcel that is currently used to graze livestock (Figure 3). A naturally occurring sand ridge parallel to Elk River Slough (Figure 4), as well as U.S. Highway 101 to the east, and the NCRA railroad to the west, prevent tidal inundation of this low lying area that ranges in elevation from 3 to 7 feet (NAVD 88). Vehicular access is from the Highway 101 Humboldt Hill off ramp and Tooby Road. A HCSD forced main sewer line runs from King Salmon to the Elk River Waste Water Treatment Plant on the north bank of Elk River parallels the railroad grade. The natural drainage pattern in this area has been altered and consists of a series of ditches that convey stormwater to a culvert and tide gate under Highway 101 that drains this property to Elk River.
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO.
Figure 3. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 2, looking west to NCRA shoreline fortifications.
Figure 4. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 2, south bank of Elk River, intertidal wetlands and Area 2 grazing pasture. Area 3: This area is to the south of the COE’s parcel; is private property where the NRCS has a wetland conservation easement on approximately 27.5 acres (Figure 5) and further south is property that PG&E owns down to King Salmon Avenue. The NRCS property like Area 2 is also currently used to graze livestock. The NRCS property is very similar to Area 2 in that it is bound by Highway 101 and the NCRA railroad grade. The NRCS property also drains to the COE’s property to the north. To the south of the NRCS property, PG&E’s property is bisected by the NCRA’s railroad: the western half is salt marsh that drains to Buhne Slough/King Salmon canal via a tidegate and also by a culvert under King Salmon Avenue draining to the south (Figure 6). This parcel is also bordered on the west by an access road to PG&E’s HBPP. The eastern parcel
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. is freshwater or brackish wetlands between Highway 101, railroad, and King Salmon Avenue with culverts under the railroad and Highway that connect drainage areas to the east with Buhne Slough as well as a culvert under King Salmon Avenue that drains to the south.
Figure 5. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 3, adjacent to Area 2 looking southwest towards PG&E power plant.
Figure 6. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 3, looking northwest from King Salmon Avenue towards PG&E power plant and northeast to NCRA railroad grade. Area 4: This area is south of King Salmon Avenue contains several parcels that are owned by: HBHRCD, Humboldt County, and private parties. The easternmost property borders South Bay where the dike has been breached in several locations and is now converting to salt marsh and mud flat habitats. To the west is publicly owned property behind earthen and unfortified dikes that is predominately tidal or freshwater wetlands with a tide gate that drains to the King Salmon Canal, Buhne Slough (Figure 7).
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO.
Figure 7. Elk River estuary and intertidal wetlands enhancement project, Area 4, HBHRCD property looking towards South Bay. Specific Tasks 1. Prepare an environmental site analysis of Areas 14. These analyses will be utilized in the preparation of conceptual designs and regulatory constraint analysis. These analyses will also be utilized in the preparation of environmental documents, engineering designs, and in the acquisition of regulatory authorizations. • Surface TopographyLiDAR. • Hydrologic survey. • Soil/Geologic survey. • Underground utilities survey. • Vegetative mappingspecies of concern survey. • Wildlife habitat mappingspecies of concern survey. • Cultural resources survey. 2. Prepare constraint analysis for Areas 14 based on environmental site surveys, applicable environmental laws, property or rightofway easement boundaries, and conceptual design alternatives. 3. Develop a range of feasible, pursuant to constraint analysis, conceptual design alternatives for Areas 14. 4. Convene advisory team (property owners, regulatory agencies, and stakeholders) to review environmental site surveys, constraints analysis, and range of conceptual design alternatives for Areas 1 through 4.
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO. Property Owners: City of Eureka, HCSD, Caltrans, NCRA, Humboldt Co., HBHRCD, NRCS, PG&E, and several (~7) private property owners. • Regulatory Agencies: CCC, DFW, USACE, NMFS, and USFWS. • Stakeholders: Coastal Conservancy, South Broadway properties (flooding issues), Humboldt Baykeeper, California Trout, Audubon, and Humboldt Trail Alliance. 5. Produce hydrologic model(s) of lower Elk River Slough to inform engineering designs in Area 12. 6. Develop engineering design package (30%) for Areas 1 and 2. This will include a series of sheets showing plan views, profiles and cross sections of existing topography, proposed topography, existing vegetation type/habitats, proposed vegetation types/habitats, estimates of cut and fill volumes, calculations of approximate vegetation types/habitats/wetlands areas proposed and net changes, and engineeringconstruction notes. The engineering design package will also include a basis of design report that explain the design criteria being used and the expected outcomes of the Project. 7. Convene advisory team to review preliminary (30%) engineering design for Areas 1 and 2. 8. Prepare environmental documents (Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, Environmental Assessment and Alternative Analysis, and Biological Assessment) and permit applications/consultations (Caltrans, NCRA, City/County, HBHRCD, DFW, NCRWQCB, CCC, USACE, NMFS and USFWS). 9. Project Management. The Consultant will manage all subconsultants contracts and work efforts and prepare progress payment requests. 10. Contract administration. The City will manage the grant, progress payment requests, consultant contract and interface with the State Coastal Conservancy. •
TASK PHASE I TASKS 1 Prepare an environmental site analysis of Areas 1-4 Surface Topography-LiDAR Hydrologic survey of Areas 1-4 and lower Elk River Slough Soil/Geologic survey Underground utilities survey Vegetative mapping-species of concern survey Wildlife habitat mapping-species of concern survey Cultural resources survey
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Prepare regulatory constraint analysis Develop a range of conceptual design alternatives for Areas 1-4, including Spartina eradication Convene advisory team to review environmental site analysis, regulatory constraints, conceptual design alternatives Produce hydrologic model(s) of lower Elk River Slough, for use in designing Areas 1-2 Develop preliminary (30%) engineering design package for Areas 1 and 2 Convene advisory team to review preliminary (30%) engineering design for Areas 1 and 2 Prepare environmental documents (3) and permit applications (11) Sub-Total Project management Sub-Total Contract administration TOTAL
BUDGET $62,000.00 $5,000.00 $17,000.00 $10,000.00 $5,000.00 $10,000.00 $10,000.00 $5,000.00 $10,000.00 $43,400.00 $10,000.00 $31,000.00 $50,000.00 $5,000.00 $93,600.00 $305,000.00 $25,000.00 $330,000.00 $20,000.00 $350,000.00
AGENDA DATE: ITEM NO.
