Watershed Priorities
Watershed Priorities Quick Finder | ||||
Targeted Watershed Grants Program (June 2008)
The West Coast Estuaries Initiative for the California Coast (CA WCEI) is a focused effort under EPA's Targeted Watersheds Grant Program (TWG). The goal of TWG is to advance successful partnerships and coalitions that have completed the necessary watershed assessments and have a technically sound watershed plan ready to implement. In 2007, Region 9 released a solicitation in September 2007 inviting proposals directed at conserving, restoring and protecting California coastal waters, estuaries, bays and near shore waters (see selected projects below). The FY 2008 budget has allocated additional funding so Region 9 distributed a 2008 CA WCEI Request for Proposals in June 2008 and proposals are due by August 28, 2008.
2007 CA WEI Projects Selected for Funding
R9 received 14 proposals from organizations requesting a total of $10,216,245. Four projects have been selected to submit full applications to receive a total of $3,439,930.
Green Infill - Clean Stormwater (Association of Bay Area Governments/ SFEP) | |
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Location: | San Francisco Bay |
Budget: | $3,461,995 (Grant Request $996,495 + Match $2,465,500) |
Issues: | Polluted urban stormwater, wetland loss |
Project: | Demonstration of benefits of Low Impact Development (LID) to local decision makers, restoration of Chelsea Wetlands/ Pinole Creek, outreach and education, effectiveness monitoring of San Mateo Green Streets and Parking Lots Project, local government mini-grant program for adoption of LID programs |
Outcomes: | Reduced runoff volume, pathogen and suspended sediment load reduction, 1 acres restored tidal marsh, 2,100 linear feet restored marsh plain, increase of 12 acre feet of flood attenuation capacity, 375-430 ft restored riparian buffers, local government adoption of zoning and building codes reflecting LID and green storm water principles |
Lower Carmel River Floodplain Restoration Project (Big Sur Land Trust) | |
Location: | Carmel Bay/ Monterey County |
Budget: | $2,992,000 (Grant Request $992,000 + Match $2,000,000) |
Issues: | Water quality, water supply, flooding |
Project: | Wetland restoration, levee removal, floodplain re-vegetation, road improvements, water quality monitoring |
Outcomes: | Increased river flows and groundwater re-charge, 90 acres restored floodplain (riparian and wetland habitat), 36 acres organic agricultural preserve graded as floodplain, removal of 800,000 yr3 of soil and debris from floodplain, conservation easement on restored floodplain |
Mattole River Estuary Conservation Initiative (Mattole Salmon Group) | |
Location: | Humboldt/ Mendocino Counties/ Lost Coast |
Budget: | $2,325,242 (Grant Request $958,435 + Match $1,366,807) |
Issues: | Salmon, sediment and temperature impairments (largely from forestry impacts) |
Project: | Estuary in-stream habitat enhancement, stream bank restoration, road decommissioning, road upgrades, instream stabilization, fire hazard reduction, riparian habitat and canopy enhancement, water quality monitoring, salmon population monitoring, invasive vegetation removal |
Outcomes: | Fish barrier removal, 2600 feet high quality salmonid habitat restored, 4 decommissioned road segments, 73,395 yards3 sediment load reduction, native vegetation assemblages restored, 24 acre fuel break, increased shade from 4,000 cottonwoods planted |
Restoration of Off-Estuary Wetland and Stream Habitats of Waukell Creek, Klamath River (Yurok Tribal Fisheries Program) | |
Location: | Tributary to the Lower Klamath River, North Coast |
Budget: | $547,832 (Grant Request $493,000 + Match $54,829) |
Issues: | Salmon, off-estuary habitat loss |
Project: | Habitat restoration, baseline fish population monitoring, channel and floodplain restoration, road stream crossing improvements, cottonwood shade tree planting |
Outcomes: | Increased hydrologic connectivity and improved fish passage, increased salmon habitat, increased flood and sediment retention capacity, improved wetland function and water quality |