3,400 acres | Solano County, CA | Construction Completed in 2020

Beaver Creek Hydrology worked with Wood Rodgers, Inc., and Ecosystem Investment Partners (EIP) to restore 3,400 acres of tidal wetland as habitat for a listed native species (delta smelt) while restoring tidal connectivity and providing flood storage through channel creation and levee breaches in Solano County, California.  Beaver Creek Hydrology was the lead channel designer and used BANKFULL software to design tidal marsh channels to minimize fish stranding areas and maximize breeding areas for delta smelt through the creation of a fully tidal system.  Historic aerial imagery and existing topography were analyzed to verify channel design parameters to mimic historic channels.  Modeling efforts were unique in that designed channels allow the tidal influence necessary to provide food web and habitat benefits to the delta smelt while keeping channels free of vegetation.   Utilizing design breaches on existing levees and 109,000 LF of designed channel, the slough was restored to a fully tidal condition, with no muting, mimicking historic channel geometry and function.  A regrade surface and grading plan were generated to optimize hydraulics and habitat while minimizing earth-moving efforts on the 3,400-acre site.  Upon completion, the project will be the largest habitat creation project in California.