Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning

Community Meeting Presentation April, 2019 Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning

Project Scope

Location: 9.5 miles of mainstem Sonoma Creek from Adobe Canyon to Madrone Road

Goal: Create a Restoration Vision and design a demonstration project to • Improve Steelhead Habitat • Address Streamside Landowner Needs • Improve Hydrology and Water Quality • Address Bank Erosion Issues • Improve Riparian Vegetation

Timeline: January 2019 – July 2020 Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning

Landowner Survey: https://sonomaecologycenter.org/creeksurvey/ • Mailed to 280 creekside property owners • 20% response rate

Responses to: Which is your biggest concern for Sonoma Creek? (check all that apply)

Flooding

Bank Erosion

Habitat for

1 Steelhead Summer Flows

Mosquitos

Debris or Litter

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning

Project Goal: Improve Steelhead Habitat • Improve Steelhead spawning and rearing habitat in Sonoma Creek • Improve high flow refuge for Steelhead Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning

Project Goal: Address Streamside Landowner Needs • Reduce risk of property damage from erosion or flooding along Sonoma Creek • Cultivate land owner stewardship of streamside properties Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning

Project Goal: Improve Hydrology and Water Quality • Restore natural hydrology in Sonoma Creek (Slow it, Spread it, Sink it) • Improve Sonoma Creek water quality (temp, contaminants, pathogens, fine sediment) Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning

Project Goal: Address Bank Erosion Issues • Reduce bank erosion, increase coarse sediment retention, arrest incision Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning

Project Goal: Improve Riparian Vegetation • Expand the Sonoma Creek riparian corridor • Remove invasive plant species and restore native plants along Sonoma Creek Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning Project Timeline

May • Initial landowner outreach and community meetings 2019

Aug • Field assessments and enhancement actions identified 2019

Dec • Community input on prioritizing restoration sites and actions 2019

Feb • Conceptual designs presented to community: 10 selected, 1 demonstration site 2020

May • Restoration Vision booklet created and distributed to community for review 2020

July • 65% design created for Demonstration Project 2020 • Obtain additional grant funding for final design and implementation 2021 • Plan more habitat restoration with landowner input

2023 • Demonstration Project construction (pending funding)

• Community outreach, monitoring, planning more habitat restoration Historical Ecology historical ecology, hydrology, geology Sonoma Creek Watershed

Napa

Sonoma

Petaluma

Vallejo Sonoma Historical Ecology

historical ecology, hydrology, geology

Project Reach

Alluvial Fan Wetlands Historical Ecology historical ecology, geology, hydrology

Groundwater Recharge

Wetlands Historical Ecology historical ecology, geology, hydrology

Flow not entering creek during winter

Flow released by STREAM FLOW wetlands in summer Alluvial Fan Wetlands Stream Evolution

Historical Conditions Stream Evolution

Historical Conditions Land Use Changes

Land Use Changes: • Channelizing Creek • Draining Wetlands • Deforestation • Increased Impervious Area • Roadside Ditches • Storm drains Stream Evolution

Historical Conditions Land Use Changes

Results • More flow in Sonoma Creek during winter storms Ø Increased Flooding, Ø Increased channel and bank Erosion • Less Flow below ground infiltration into and flow Ø Less Groundwater, Present Degraded Conditions Ø Lower Summer Flows Stream Evolution

Historical Conditions Land Use Changes

Restored Habitat Conditions Present Degraded Conditions Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning

Habitat restoration can address many of land owner concerns

Responses to: Which is your biggest concern for Sonoma Creek? (check all that apply)

Flooding

Bank Erosion

Habitat for

1 Steelhead Summer Flows

Mosquitos

Debris or Litter

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Model for success: Napa River Restoration: Rutherford & Oakville Reaches

• Landowner initiated Restoration Vision for 13 miles of the river • Partnership between

Landowners

and

Napa County, resource agencies, local resource conservation district, and ESA

• Results:

• 7 miles and counting of restorated salmonid habitat and stabilized banks Timeframe: • Numerous landowner benefits and • Planning: 2003 – ongoing positive testimonials • Implementation: 2009 – ongoing • Same vision for Sonoma Creek Upper Sonoma Creek Habitat Restoration Planning