North Richmond Living Levee and Collaborative Shoreline Plan: Planning & Design Services

Description

In May 2024, the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority (SFBRA) awarded a grant to West County Wastewater (WCW) to continue the planning and design efforts for the North Richmond Living Levee & Collaborative Shoreline Plan Project. This phase of the work will focus on completing 65% design of the Phase 1 Living Levee project, CEQA and NEPA studies/strategies, continuing community stakeholder engagement, conceptual design of the Phase 1A (North Cluster) and 1B (South Cluster) projects, continuing governance and agency coordination, technical support for construction grant funding pursuits, and the design and construction of sediment storage. Project HistoryThe proposed project area is a part of the North Richmond Shoreline’s Baylands, which have been extensively degraded and fragmented, though some components of the historic ecology persist. The area comprises unincorporated Contra Costa County and the City of Richmond. Currently, segments of the Bay Trail exist in the project area, as do two parking area trailheads operated by East Bay Parks District. For Phase 1, where the project proposes detailed design work, the extents lie within parcels owned by WCW. For Phases 1A and 1B, which includes investigating public-private implementation framework, WCW is one of the parcel owners. Other parcel owners in these areas include Republic Services and County Flood Control, both of which support the proposed project and have provided letters to that effect.In 2020, the SFBRA awarded a grant to WCW to determine feasibility and alignment options for a 'Living Levee' along the North Richmond shoreline. This project builds on the work of previous shoreline planning efforts focused on preservation and resilience, including the North Richmond Shoreline Community Vision (2017, San Francisco Estuary Partnership), and the Resilient by Design Challenge (2018,