Fall Creek Engineering (FCE) completed three pond restoration projects in the La Honda Open Space Preserve. The projects were completed for the Mid-Peninsula Open Space District. FCE completed pre-design technical studies, engineering design plans and construction supervision services for the restoration of three ponds on the property. The purpose of the project(s) was to improve the hydrology of the ponds to support and enhance habitat for the California Red Legged Frog (CRLF). FCE performed a Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analysis to determine ponding durations under various annual rainfall conditions and to appropriately size the TRM lined spillway. The projects included repairing damaged and eroded embankments, increasing the area and depths of the ponds, adding new spillways, and in pone pond system design and installing a new solar pump and watering trough system for grazing activities on the preserve.

Fall Creek Engineering was retained by the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County and completed engineering design plans and construction supervision services to improve habitat conditions and ponding durations in Molino Pond located in Northern Santa Cruz County. The project was designed to divert regulated streamflow from Molino Creek to augment the ponding duration in Molino Pond suitable for California Red Legged Frogs (CRLF). The project included designing and installing a fish-friendly surface water diversion from Molino Creek, deepening of the pond bottom, limiting seepage through the earthen embankment with a clay cut-off trench, and installing two new pipe outlets. The diversion in Molino Creek included a screened inlet designed to direct streamflow into Molino Pond while meeting all state and federal fish passage design requirements for coastal salmonids. The screened inlet includes a shut off valve and flow control structure to prevent dewatering of the channel during low flow periods and to monitor the quantity of diverted streamflow.

Cloverdale Coastal Ranch (Ranch) is a 4,733 acre ranch owned and managed by the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST). The Ranch extends from the Pacific Ocean to the Base of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Ranch has several man-made ponds located throughout the property that have been used historically for stock ponds and water storage. POST and the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) are collaborating to improve the habitat in and around the ponds. The primarily target species include the state and federally listed San Francisco Garter Snake (SFGS) and the state species of concern and federally listed California Red Legged Frog (CRLF). Secondary target species include the western pond turtle, tricolor blackbird, pacific tree frogs, and aquatic invertebrates. Fall Creek Engineering (FCE) was retained by POST to prepared engineering design plans and provided construction supervision to restore six (6) ponds to provide habitat for CRLF. FCE worked with Go Native an engineering contracting firm specialized in habitat restoration projects in Central California.

The Arroyo Mocho Creek Crossing is located in the lower end of the Arroyo Mocho Canyon in Livermore, California. A concrete ford creek crossing was constructed across the stream at the Arroyo Mocho Shaft Road and was used by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL to access the Arroyo Mocho Pump Station, the primary water supply for the laboratories. The creek crossing was a complete barrier to both steelhead and resident trout migration. Fall Creek Engineering was retained by the LLNL and led a multi-disciplinary team of engineers, biologists, geomorphologists and hydrologists to develop restoration plans and specifications for a clear span bridge. The project involved the development of a biological assessment, a geomorphic assessment and hydraulic analysis and preparation of engineering design plans and specifications for the restoration of the stream, the removal of the concrete ford, and the design of a new clear span steel truss bridge to provide year round access to the pump station. The project entailed the removal of the concrete ford, the reshaping of the stream channel, the installation of an 80 foot clear span bridge and concrete abutments, and the restoration of approximately 190 lineal feet of channel upstream of the crossing to establish a new stream grade and alignment. The newly restored reach included 4 vortex boulder weirs constructed to provide year round fish passage and grade control.

The West Branch of Soquel Creek supports the federally threatened steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and historically supported the federally and state endangered coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Tucker Road Ford was a concrete ford that was a barrier to fish passage and the purpose of the project was to improve fish passage by removing the concrete ford, reshaping the stream channel to improve habitat, and install a clear span bridge to provide year round access to residential parcels. Fall Creek Engineering was retained by the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County and led a multi-disciplinary team of engineers, hydrologist, geomorphologics and biologist to restore the creek and install a clear span bridge. The ford was replaced by a 120-foot span bridge designed to pass the 100-year flood event. Approximately 215 feet of the channel upstream of the ford was reshaped to restore a stable stream bed and the former channel morphology.

Frenchman’s Creek is a perennial coastal stream located in Half Moon Bay on the Central Coast of California. The stream is approximately 4.1 miles long and drains directly to the Pacific Ocean. The stream and riparian corridor are relatively undisturbed and intact, providing good habitat for coast steelhead and other riparian wildlife. In the early 1970's the landowner installed a six-foot diameter by 42-foot long culvert to provide a farm road crossing across the creek. Over time, the culvert become perched, and the invert elevation of the culvert outlet was approximately nine feet above the bed of the channel. The condition created a barrier to the passage of both juvenile and adult steelhead and did not allow fish to access the upper one and half mile of stream course. Fall Creek Engineering was retained by the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District and led a multi-disciplinary team of engineers, scientist and biologist to remove the culvert and restore the stream for juvenile and adult fish passage. The perched culvert was replaced with a 65 long railcar bridge. The project included several biotechnical stream channel and bank stabilization measures to restore the channel to a stable, non-eroding condition. Eight one-foot high boulder step-pool weirs were installed to provide grade control and facilitate step-pool formation to enhance fish passage and habitat in the project reach.

Tomkat Ranch is a privately owned horse ranch, located in Pescadero, California. Honsinger Creek, which runs through the property, is a major tributary to Pescadero Creek, on the Central California Coast in San Mateo County. Honsinger Creek supports federally threatened steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and the federally and state endangered coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Approximately 0.5 miles upstream of the confluence of Honsinger Creek and Pescadero Creek, on Tomkat Ranch, a perched culvert on the creek restricted passage of both steelhead and salmon. The perched culvert did not allow winter passage of fish, upstream to several miles of intact spawning and rearing habitat. The primary purpose of the project was to remove the perched culvert on Honsinger Creek and replace the culvert with a clear span bridge. Fall Creek Engineering designed a new clear span bridge to replace the culvert. The constructed bridge is a 16-foot wide and 70-foot long pre-fabricated steel truss bridge. The new bridge is supported by two concrete abutments that were constructed outside the riparian corridor and above the normal high water or bankfull level.

Fall Creek Engineering, Inc. (FCE) was retained by the California State Parks and Recreation and completed the engineering design plans and construction supervision of the restoration of the Mitchell’s Creek ravine. The ravine was a major erosion feature created when the City of San Francisco filled in the creek canyon with tunnel debris from the construction of the Hetch Hetchy tunnels under the Diablo Range between towns of Tracy and Livermore. The purpose of the Mitchell Ravine Waste Rock Pile Channel and Slope Stabilization Project was to stabilize the waste rock pile associated with the historic construction of the Hetch Hetchy tunnel, and to restore the stream bed and banks of Mitchell Ravine Creek. FCE employed landform grading techniques to stabilize the bed, banks, and associated slopes in the Mitchell Ravine. The excess spoils from the grading activities were also used to grade and shape the entrance road into the ravine as a means to keep the cost of the project as low as possible.

Ritchey Creek is located in Bothe-Napa Valley State Park in Napa County, California. Ritchey Creek is approximately 4.1 miles in length and is a tributary to the Napa River. Ritchey Creek is considered to be ideal habitat for anadromous salmonids, including steelhead. However, a stream crossing at in the stream creates a barrier to fish passage. Fall Creek Engineering was retained by California State Parks and Recreation to conduct a hydrologic, hydraulic and geomorphic analysis of the creek and to prepare engineering design plans and to supervise the construction of a new clear span crossing and channel restoration work to restore fish passage at and above the creek crossing.

FCE was retained by State Parks and Recreation to prepare engineering design plans and provide construction supervision of the Marsh Creek Restoration and Instream Dam Improvement Project (Project). The primary goal of the Project is to return the stream to a more naturalized form that is protective of the archaeological and biotic resources in the Project area. The Project entails retrofit of a small, inoperative concrete dam to restore channel form and prevent further erosion of an important archaeological site. The project will repair eroded banks, remove portions of the dam to allow streamflow to travel in the historic centerline of the stream, and reinforce the newly restored banks of the channel with rock and riparian plantings. The restored and protected banks are intended to prevent further erosion and protect-in-place existing cultural resources.

FCE designed and supervised the construction of an innovative “fish box” system to restore adult and juvenile steelhead passage in Zayante Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains to allow the Mt. Hermon community to install a historical seasonal dam on the creek. FCE completed the engineering design plans, assisted with the permitting of the project through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the NOAA- National Marine Fisheries Service. The project was considered to be a novel approach as an alternative to a permanent fish ladder system commonly used in this application. Several years of monitoring has demonstrated that the fish boxes provide for up and downstream migration of both juvenile and adult steelhead fish.

Fall Creek Engineering (FCE) was retained by the City of Salinas and designed an 18-acre stormwater wetland to treat urban runoff from a 1,500 acre area in the City of Salinas, California. The stormwater wetland is designed to meet multiple objectives including stormwater treatment, wildlife habitat, anadromous fish passage, and passive recreation for city residents. FCE completed a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis including the development of a hydraulic model of the existing and restored wetland project. FCE prepared detailed engineering design plans, construction documents, an engineering cost estimate, stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP), and facility maintenance plan for the project. FCE also assisted the City obtain the U.S. Corps of Engineers and California Regional Water Quality Control Board and California Department of Fish and Game permits for the project.

The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) owns the Triple M Ranch in Northern Monterey County. Urban development and improperly managed agricultural areas are potential large sources of polluted runoff and threaten ecosystem health of the Elkhorn Slough. The Carneros Creek riparian corridor on the Triple M Ranch is the site of a wetlands restoration project that aspires to restore approximately 40-acres of historic floodplains and wetlands on the ranch to improve water quality entering the Elkhorn Slough. Fall Creek Engineering was retained by ALBA and prepared engineering studies, construction documents and provided construction supervision for the wetland restoration project.

Ledson Marsh supports both State and Federal endangered plant and animal species and is a focal point of the Diablo Vista District’s Natural Resource Management program at Annadel State Park. The large marsh complex is a critical wetland in the region and the protection of both resident and migratory fauna and flora are a very high priority to State and Federal resource agencies. Some of the critical infrastructure at the marsh is in poor condition and does allow the resource managers to effectively manage water movement out of the marsh. Fall Creek Engineering (FCE) was retained by California State Parks and Recreation to prepare engineering design plans for a new outlet control structure and overflow spillway for the marsh complex. FCE completed the designs and will provide construction supervision of the project once it is under construction.

Consistent with the College’s goal of providing students hands on hydrology, biology and ecology learning opportunities FCE designed and oversaw construction of a retrofit to the Cheeseman Environmental Services Area. As a dynamic environmental education laboratory the space replicates stream, wetland, and pond habitats found within the Bay Area region while allowing students opportunities to manipulate channel hydraulics and study bankfull and flood flow channel conditions. Along with enhancing educational elements, the site’s long term operation and maintenance burden was reduced through installation of an impermeable liner to reduce system losses and conserve water.

Over the past several years, the Cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove have been evaluating alternative stormwater management projects to address regulatory requirements imposed by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) for stormwater discharges to the Area of Special Biological Significance (ASBS). The ASBS watershed area encompasses approximately 950 acres of urbanized lands within the Cities of Pacific Grove and Monterey. Runoff from these areas discharge to pristine coastal waters in the Monterey Bay Sanctuary. Fall Creek Engineering (FCE) was retained by the City of Monterey and developed a comprehensive stormwater management project for structural measures to effectively manage stormwater discharges to comply with the SWRCB’s water quality requirements and to protect the ASBS. In general the stormwater project involves increasing the Cities capacity for dry and wet weather diversion, rention and treatment projects to meet stringent water quality objectives in the Bay. Specifically the project is comprised of five associated and extensive sub-projects including: the repurposing of a historical water supply reservoir (David Avenue Reservoir) as stormwater treatment and detention facility and new city park; rerouting a portion of the runoff through a new storm water conveyance and stormwater detention system (the Pine Avenue Conveyance project); (3)the repurposing and relining of old sewer main to allow for dry and wet flow diversions to a new stormwater treatment facility (the Ocean View Boulevard Conveyance project); (4) the construction of a new multi-staged stormwater treatment facility (Point Pinos Stormwater Treatment Facility), and (5) increasing the dry and wet weather diversion capacity to the Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Fall Creek Engineering managed a multi-disciplinary team of scientists, geologists, planners, and engineers to prepare a comprehensive water quality management plan for the Pajaro River Watershed, a 1,300 square mile watershed located in Central California. The study was prepared for the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG), the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), the State Water Resource Control Board, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The project was an eighteen-month effort, which included a review of existing water quality, land use, geologic, hydrologic, and biologic resource information. The team developed short and long-term water quality management strategies for non-point source water quality pollution from the predominant land use activities: croplands, rangelands, urban lands, and abandoned mines.

Fall Creek Engineering, in association with John Gilchrist and Associates, conducted a water quality study of a coastal lagoon. The objective of the study was to conduct baseline water quality and sediment monitoring and provide an evaluation of water quality conditions in the lagoon and to identify if non-point pollution sources entering the lagoon are impairing water quality and aquatic life.

FCE in association with Hydro International, Inc. prepared a comprehensive storm water management plan for the Southern Waterfront in the City of San Francisco. The Southern Waterfront is a seven square mile area that is used for industrial and maritime activities. The Southern Waterfront area is undergoing substantial redevelopment and FCE prepared the storm water plan to guide the Port and City of San Francisco in the implementation of long-term storm water control measures to treat storm water runoff from these redeveloped areas and protect water quality in the Bay. The study evaluated existing water quality data and historical and future land use conditions. A water quality model was developed to assess non-point source pollutant loads under existing and future land use conditions and incorporating storm water control measures. The study provided a long-term conceptual land use plan integrating landscape and storm water wetland features designed to improve storm water quality and provide community enhancement opportunities, passive recreation, wildlife habitat and bay access for the surrounding residential communities. The plan was prepared for the Port of San Francisco.