Rail Dump Gulch Fish Passage and Habitat Improvement Design Project

Salmonid Restoration Planning and Assessments

Project ID	1671664711413
Recovery Domains	N Central California Coast
Start Date	05/10/2023
End Date	04/01/2026
Year	2022
Status	Completed
Last Edited	10/05/2026

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Description

This project identified constraints and design options to improve fish passage, restore off-channel rearing habitat for juvenile Coho Salmon and other salmonids, and provide high flow refugia for juvenile and adult salmonids in Rail Dump Gulch. The project work tasks included biological, geomorphic, and hydrological characterization of the project area and an evaluation of the risks and potential impacts associated with different design options. Designs were developed in coordination with the Project Team, composed of Trout Unlimited (TU), CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Pacific Watershed Associates (PWA) and CA State Parks. The 100% engineered design plans include channel improvements, stream crossing upgrading, and instream and floodplain habitat design features. The designs provide all information necessary for implementation and permitting.

FY20 funds spent within award window.

Project Benefit

The expected benefits include design plans to remediate and restore a tidal marsh tributary impacted by historical timber harvest practices and to restore off-channel salmonid rearing and refuge habitat within an estuary ecotone. The design will provide sustainable year round access to restored habitats for rearing salmonids by remediating a temporal barrier and failing culvert. This project will lead to the expansion and diversification of rearing and refuge habitats within Lower Big River.

Source

Funds

PCSRF

$312,870

In-Kind Donated Labor

$45,287

Report Total:

$358,157

Worksites

1671664711746

Worksite Identifier: 1671664711746
Start Date:
End Date:

Area Description
Rail Dump Gulch crossing on M1 Road

Location Information

Basin:
Subbasin:
Watershed:
Subwatershed:

State:
Recovery Domain: N Central California Coast
Latitude: 39.295136
Longitude: -123.742717

ESU

California Coastal Chinook Salmon ESU
Northern California Steelhead DPS
Central California Coast Coho Salmon ESU

Map

Photos

Metrics

B.0 Salmonid Restoration Planning and AssessmentsY (Y/N)

. . B.0.a Planning And Assessment Funding 358,157.00
. . B.0.b.1 Area Encompassed 2.3
. . B.0.b.2 Stream Miles Affected .30

. . B.1 Restoration Planning And CoordinationY (Y/N)

. . . . B.1.a Planning and Coordination funding 358,157.00

. . . . B.1.b.11 Engineering/design work for restoration projectsY (Y/N)

. . . . . . B.1.b.11.a

Name of plan implemented
NMFS, 2012, Recovery Plan for the Evolutionarily Significant Unit of Central California Coast Coho Salmon, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Region, Santa Rosa, California.

. . . . . . B.1.b.11.b

Description and scope of the plan implemented

'-BR-CCC-2.1.1.3: ?Promote restoration projects designed to create or restore alcove, backchannel, ephemeral tributary, or seasonal pond habitats (NMFS 2012). -BR-CCC-6.1.1.2: Identify high priority barriers and restore passage per NMFS` Guidelines for Salmonid Passage at Stream Crossings (NMFS 2012). This project accomplished the listed tasks by developing process-based engineered designs to remediate fish passage conditions at an existing stream crossing and improve salmonid rearing and refugia habitat within tidal marshlands heavily impacted by historic industrial land management. The existing RDG culverted crossing under the M-1 Road is a temporal barrier to salmonid passage and has restricted tidally influenced wetlands both upstream and downstream of the crossing, resulting in fragmented wetland and floodplain habitats. Implementation of the proposed stream crossing and engineered habitat restoration of affected tidal marshlands will immediately reconnect wetland, floodplain, and stream channel habitats and better prepare RDG for migrating tidal influence in the face of future sea level rise.