Purpose
 The Bull Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project will restore native riparian and upland habitat to a severely degraded area in the Sepulveda Dam flood control basin. The restoration project provides additional foraging, nesting, cover and habitable environments for indigenous wildlife.
Project
The project will develop approximately 27.9 acres of aquatic, riparian and native upland habitat to enhance and restore wildlife resources along the Bull Creek channel in the Sepulveda Flood Control Basin. Scheduled events will include the following:
• Excavate an oxbow or “C”-shaped side channel to allow water to flow from south of Victory Blvd. around an island to the Los Angeles River;
• Construct bridges to provide pedestrian and maintenance access, connect to pedestrian trails on both sides of Bull Creek and serve as overlooks into the habitat areas;
• Place interpretive nodes to offer educational opportunities;
• Provide pedestrian access from the Department of Transportation Park and Ride lot to the north;
• Release reclaimed water from Lake Balboa into the channel near the oxbow to enhance the existing flow;
• Install a debris collector at the upstream extent of the project area to prevent unwanted debris from entering the restored habitat area; and
• Grade bank slopes no steeper than 3 to 1.
Benefits
The Bull Creek project site supports about .5 acres of limited aquatic habitat and .2 acres of emergent habitat that are fed by urban run-off upstream and reclaimed water discharged into the lower part of the channel. The remaining area supports disturbed streamside vegetation and non-native weeds and grasses on the flatter uplands area.
The Bull Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project will restore scarce, high-value wildlife habitat to the degraded area.
In addition to restoring native flora and fauna to the area, the proposed project will have positive impacts in:
• Water quality, due to the removal of trash and unwanted debris;
• Education, due to the creation of areas for bird or animal observation, interpretation, and potential uses for school field trips, etc.;
• Socio-economics, due to the potential increase in real estate values that riparian aesthetics typically have on neighboring communities.
Planners expect the improved habitat to benefit birds and migratory waterfowl by increasing multi-layered, diverse native vegetation cover, and increasing the amount of habitat and habitat “edge.” Restoring and reintroducing riparian and aquatic habitat will allow increased use by native resident and migratory wildlife.
The restored aquatic, emergent, and riparian woodland habitat is expected to benefit migratory waterfowl such as ducks and geese, as well as other riparian species.
Many of the riparian-accepting bird species this project hopes to attract include: The American Goldfinch, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Black-headed Grosbeak , Blue Grosbeak, Bullock’s Oriole, Common Yellowthroat, Cooper’s Hawk, Downy Woodpecker, Green Heron , House Wren, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Yellow Warbler, Western Bluebird, Western Wood-Peewee and the yellow-breasted Chat.
Project Schedule
Project start date: May 2008 Completion is expected in January 2009, seven months ahead of schedule A ribbon cutting event, hosted by USACE and the city of Los Angeles is planned for mid-April 2009. A required plant establishment period must be met to ensure plant growth and survival prior to public access.
Question & Answers
Coming Soon...
Media Advisory
MA08-13 - Corps of Engineers to install pedestrian bridge along Lake Balboa Trail
Pictures
Constructions of bridge on Dec. 9, 2008
 (USACE photo by Danny P. Kelly)
 (USACE photo by Danny P. Kelly)
 (USACE photo by Danny P. Kelly)
Stakeholders
Congressional Sponsor:
U.S. Representative Brad Sherman, District 27
Local Sponsor:
City og Los Angeles, Parks & Recreation
Contractor:
Design - TetraTech
Construction - C.W. Crosser Construction Inc.
Point of Contact:
Ed Louie
Project Manager
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213-452-4002
For periodic updates on this project, please visit the project website at www.spl.usace.army.mil, contact Project Manager Ed Louie at 213-452-4002 or you may contact the Public Affairs Office at 213-452-3333. |
