Sweetwater Nursery Off-Channel Habitat Design Project
Project Overview
Basics
Sweetwater Nursery Off-Channel Habitat Design Project
Planning/Design
The Sweetwater Nursery parcel and its existing ponded wetland immediately adjacent to Green Valley Creek, upstream of the confluence of Atascadero Creek in western Sonoma County, provides an excellent opportunity to create off-channel winter habitat for salmonids. This project provides a unique opportunity to connect the existing high quality off-channel pond and wetland habitat to the main channel of Green Valley Creek at base flow throughout the majority of winter and spring. This will allow the wetland to continue providing benefits for multiple species, while allowing for out-migrating salmon to forage and rear in the newly connected area.
2020
2025
10/25/2022
Project Attributes
Census Tract Income
None
Direct Benefits to Disadvantaged Communities (DACs)
None
EnviroScreen
None
Free and Reduced Lunch
None
Indirect Benefits to Disadvantaged Communities (DACs)
None
Tribal Engagement (True/False)
None
Tribal Engagement
None
Location
The project site is adjacent to the confluence of Green Valley and Atascadero Creeks, approximately five miles upstream of the confluence with the lower Russian River. The project is centered upon 38.44895º north latitude, 122.88763º west longitude;
Organizations
| Funder | |
| Lead Implementer | |
| Partners | |
| Primary RCD | |
| Stakeholders | |
| State Assembly Voting District | |
| State Senate Voting District |
Contacts
Performance Measures
Expected Performance Measures
| Events | Event Type: Technical Training | 2 |
| Habitat Restoration/Creation | Action Taken: Enhanced Habitat Type: Seasonal wetland | 2 acres |
| Special Status Fish Species Habitat | Action Performed: Created Focal Species: coho salmon - central California coast ESU Habitat Type: Migration Listing Status: State Endangered | 87,120 lf |
Reported Performance Measures
Reported Performance Measures are not relevant for Projects in the Planning/Design stage.
Financials
Budget
| Comment: | None provided |
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Reported Expenditures
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fisheries Restoration Grant Program (FRGP) (CDFW) | $22,518.20 | $83,848.59 | $88,128.08 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $194,494.87 |
| Grand Total | $22,518.20 | $83,848.59 | $88,128.08 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $194,494.87 |
| Note: | This project is still in its design phase and implementation has not begun. Expenditures at this point solely reflect design costs. |
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Project Themes
Project Themes
The proposed seasonal wetland and floodplain reconnection project, when implemented, will work towards the FRGP program goal of climate change resiliency for CCC coho. High winter velocities, and lack of off-channel refuge, have proven to be a limiting factor to coho survival. Based on local climate change projections, rainfall events are expected to become less frequent, but more intense. Under this scenario, peak winter stream flows will be flashier and peak flows higher, further impacting winter rearing habitat. Off-channel, high flow refugia will become increasingly vital to salmonid over
CCC coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) are on the brink of extinction. Green Valley Creek, a tributary to the lower Russian River in Sonoma County, is one of the few watersheds in the region that maintains a small, wild population of coho. NMFS’ 2012 California Central Coast Coho Salmon Recovery Plan identifies Green Valley Creek as a Phase I Priority Area for Protection and Restoration, with a goal for near-term population recovery. Monitoring efforts have highlighted the importance of the lower reaches of Green Valley and its confluence with Atascadero Creek as a key migration corridor.
The site provides high quality habitat for other native wildlife, with well-established and diverse native wetland vegetation. The open water of the marsh provides foraging opportunities for waterfowl and wading birds which consume aquatic invertebrates and plants. Dense marsh vegetation supports habitat for marsh wrens, common yellowthroats, and other native songbirds. Red-winged blackbirds nest in the cattails. The
seasonal pond supports breeding habitat for Sierran treefrogs and habitat for pond turtles.
Project Details
Attachments
Project Design Sketch
- Uploaded On
- 10/13/2022
- File Type
- Description
- This image combines three different off-channel habitat designs along Green Valley Creek that will all serve as off-channel seasonal habitats for migrating coho salmon as well as steelhead trout, freshwater shrimp, freshwater mussels, lamprey, and other species. The three off-channel habitat designs are Iron Horse Vineyards, Greene, and Sweetwater Nursery.
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Notes
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External Links
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