Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: 4/5ths_
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Jasneet W. Sharma, Director of Sustainability Department
Subject: Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of Grant Funds from the California State Water Resources Control Board for the Little Butano Creek at Cloverdale Road Sediment Reduction Project
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation to:
A) Adopt a resolution authorizing the Director of the Sustainability Department, or designee(s), to accept and execute a $465,000 grant from the California State Water Resources Control Board and enter into a grant agreement to fund the Little Butano Creek at Cloverdale Road Sediment Reduction Project and any amendments thereto; and
B) Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request recognizing $465,000 in grant funds from the California State Water Resources Control Board to fund the project.
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BACKGROUND:
The California State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) Nonpoint Source Grant Program (NPS) is a competitive grant program funded by the federal Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant Program to implement nonpoint source control activities, with focus on impaired water bodies. Nonpoint source pollution is contamination that is discharged from many cumulative sources over larger areas instead of from one single source.
The County has been awarded an NPS grant (Grant) for culvert repair and road stabilization in the Butano Creek watershed in the amount of $465,000. The Grant requires a 25 percent funding match based on total project costs. The total cost of this project is $625,000, of which, the County is providing a match of $160,000, which is slightly higher than the 25 percent required match. The total project budget of $625,000 must be spent within one year of the Grant award.
Project completion supports the County’s Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program compliance efforts by reducing sediment in the impaired Butano Creek watershed. Additionally, the resulting water quality improvements will count toward the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board Municipal Regional Stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES) requirement to reduce 6.5 percent of the total estimated cubic yards of potential sediment erosion by 2027. This Grant will leverage existing County investments ensuring clean local waterways and regulatory compliance.
DISCUSSION:
The Sustainability Department and the Department of Public Works (DPW) will collaborate to repair a partially plugged, double box culvert stream crossing that has a high risk of creek flow diversion, causing subsequent erosion and infrastructure damage, and to reduce chronic and episodic sediment delivery. The County is required to reduce sediment in this watershed, to comply with the Water Board’s Pescadero-Butano Watershed Sediment Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) plan.
The project site is a large, culverted fill crossing on Cloverdale Road over Little Butano Creek. The existing crossing has double box culverts, one of which (right side, looking downstream) is more than 50 percent plugged with sediment. This was likely due to tree growth (through the existing concrete apron on the creek bed) immediately in front of the outlet on the right box culvert which enabled debris and sediment to accumulate, at first downstream of the outlet, and then gradually filling in to the right box itself. The plugging of the culvert will worsen as this vegetation continues to grow and establish itself. Due to the established vegetation and challenging access, addressing this issue is more complex than routine culvert cleaning.
This project builds upon previous efforts by the County to inventory sediment delivery at all creek crossings in the watershed and is strategically being implemented in high priority areas. As such, this work will provide significant credit towards meeting state regulated milestones by reducing thousands of cubic yards of sediment over a 20-year period in the Butano Creek watershed.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolutions as to form.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Stormwater pollution prevention is critical in reducing pollutants of concern and protecting water quality for all County residents and ensuring the County achieves compliance with the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board Municipal Regional Stormwater NPDES Permit requirement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total project cost is $625,000. Approval of the Appropriation Transfer Request will recognize Grant funds in the amount of $465,000 from the Water Board. DPW will receive the full $465,000 Grant amount for project implementation. The $160,000 match contribution consists of $90,000 in staff time from Sustainability and DPW, with the remaining $70,000 match being provided by another DPW grant. All funding is included in DPW and Sustainability’s FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget. There is no new Net County Cost associated with this project.