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San Francisco Bay Delta

Healthy Watersheds, Resilient Baylands

This project focuses on watershed redesign, tidal wetlands restoration and urban greening efforts. The San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) together with the San Francisco Estuary Institute and 15 other local organizations, will implement several projects that will improve resilience to climate change impacts in the South Bay. The cities of Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and East Palo Alto will build green infrastructure projects to reduce stormwater runoff, capture pollutants, and create 13 acres of native wetland and riparian habitats In addition, the Santa Clara Valley Water District is a key partner for the design and realignment of Calabazas and San Tomás Aquino Creeks which will reconnect watersheds to the baylands and reduce flood risk.

Project Facts

Recipient: San Francisco Estuary Partnership
Funding: $1,667,683 (non-federal match = $1,667,683)
Project Period: October 2016 - October 2020
Partners: San Francisco Estuary Institute; Cities of Sunnyvale, Mountain View, East Palo Alto; Santa Clara Valley Water District; Google; Acterra; Canopy: SF Bay Joint Venture; South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project; Bay Planning Coalition; Bay Area Flood Protection Agencies; Peninsula Open Space Trust; SF Bay Regional Monitoring Program; SF Bay Conservation and Development Commission; Bay Area Ecosystems Climate Change Consortium

Environmental Results Summary: Healthy Watersheds, Resilient Baylands
OUTPUTS (Activities, efforts, and/or work product during project period)
OUTCOMES (Environmental results)
SHORT-TERM
(1-5 yrs)
LONG-TERM
(5-20+yrs)

Multi-Benefit Urban Greening Strategy Draft and Final Report

Expand GreenPlan-ITExitToolkit to include additional treatment types

Design and construct urban greening projects on the Google campus, in East Palo Alto, and Caribbean Ave.

Hold 15 tree planting/care events in East Palo Alto with local youth and community members

Train East Palo Alto Teen Urban Foresters to assist with ongoing plant and site maintenance

Organize 2 sediment strategy workshops to inform policy for resilience of San Francisco Bay wetlands and water quality

Organize a workshop to develop a resilient landscape report for Pond A8-Calabazas-San Tomas Aquino complex

Design and construct horizontal habitat levees at Pond A8

Complete design, permitting, and construction for the Calabazas/San Tomas Aquino Creeks
realignment

Implement project tracking and visualization tool

Organize BPC and BAFPAA-sponsored workshops

Develop SediMatch Phase 2 Website

Reports: Develop QAPP, Quarterly Progress Reports, Final Project Report

Incorporate Multi-Benefit Urban Greening Strategy into 5 local/regional plans

Treat stormwater from over 60,000 ft.² of impervious surface in industrial area capturing 0.14-0.78 g PCBs and Hg each year, as well as 40 – 80% of metals and PAHs (Caribbean Ave.)

Create 3,000 ft.² of native plant and seasonal wetland/ willow swale habitat adjacent to baylands (Caribbean Ave.)

Create 8 acres of native plant, seasonal wetland, and willow swale habitat in the urban setting (Mountain View, Google)

Restore 3 acres of native riparian trees (live oak, valley oak, sycamore, willow) in urban greening projects, providing riparian function and habitat connectivity for native birds, bats, and insects (East Palo Alto)

Reduce runoff by over 400,000 gallons per year from increased tree canopy (East Palo Alto)

Increase tidal circulation in 1,400 acres of Pond A8, resulting in anticipated reduced methylmercury exposure for Bay wildlife

Reduce risk of contamination of Pond A8 and SF Bay from the adjacent landfill

Create 10 acres of tidal marsh ecotone habitat, including 5 acres of seasonal wetlands

Realign 2 major watersheds into restored tidal marsh, potentially delivering ~50,000 cubic yards/yr of sediment

Reduce habitat impact, reduce cost, and improve permitting efficiency for maintenance dredging of Calabazas and San Tomas Aquino creeks

Reduce risk of flooding to Alviso and Sunnyvale

Develop new sediment monitoring plans for SF Bay

Inform the Nutrient Management Strategy for San Francisco Bay

Install hundreds of multi-benefit urban greening projects throughout Silicon Valley

Create native habitat corridors and improved water cycle for Bay and watershed wildlife

Reduce PCB loading to the Bay cost-effectively through a wide range of urban greening efforts

Reduce stormwater runoff, reduce urban temperatures, and increase carbon storage and rainfall interception with expanded tree canopy

Reuse millions of cubic yards/yr of dredged Bay, flood control channel, and reservoir sediment for tidal wetland restoration projects

Restore 1,400 acres of resilient tidal marsh in the Pond A8 complex, creating tidal wetlands with reliable sediment supplies for sea level rise resilience

Manage Bay suspended sediment for nutrients and other water quality objectives

Full List of Project Summaries