Prime Contractor: AECOM

Title and Location: Alameda Creek Diversion Dam (ACDD), Alameda, County CA

February 2016 – October 2018. 

Project Owner:  San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)

Cost of Completion:  $43.97 million. For the environmental portion it was approximately $780,000.

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PROJECT BACKGROUND

 

The Alameda Creek Diversion Dam (ACDD) Bypass Facility is an existing concrete dam located on Alameda Creek (in Alameda County) 9,700 feet northeast of Calaveras Dam. Constructed in 1931, the 30-foot-high concrete dam is used to divert water into a diversion tunnel that carries 650 CFS flow from Alameda Creek to Calaveras Reservoir. The Alameda Creek Diversion Dam Fish Passage Facilities Project was designed to restore future population runs of for steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and improve diversion facilities. The project included three modifications to the existing Alameda Creek Diversion Dam necessary to provide upstream and downstream passage for steelhead in the event a future restored population of steelhead returns to Alameda Creek. SFPUC proposed to construct three modifications to the existing ACDD structure: Screens to prevent steelhead and resident trout from entering the diversion tunnel, a bypass tunnel to provide appropriate sweeping velocities on the screen and bypass flows for resident and anadromous fish species, and a ladder to provide passage at ACDD for migrating resident trout and anadromous fish species (including Federally protected Central California Coast steelhead). The project footprint was 22.93 acres and included a portion of the Alameda Creek stream channel, adjacent upland habitats, the existing ACDD and Alameda Creek Diversion Tunnel structures, and existing roadways and buildings. Project activities included grading and excavation of the Project site, trench digging, road construction/modifications, tree removal, and other activities.

 

STAKEHOLDERS

 

SFPUC Planning Department - CEQA, California Department of Water Resources Division of Safety of Dams, the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA). Resource agencies including the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) were involved in project oversight as well, due to the number of special status species occurring within the project area.

 

TASKS

 

BioMaAS conducted the project oversight of environmental and construction inspection services as part of the overall project construction management team and carried out the day-to-day inspection of the contractor’s activities related to environmental mitigation measures and permits. In addition, BioMaAS tracked environmental compliance, performed submittal and document review, performed compliance report preparation, and coordinated with others on the Construction Management team, the SFPUC, and contractor staff in accordance with the Construction Management Plan for the statewide water improvement system upgrade.  BioMaAS fulfilled the roles of the Lead Environmental Construction Inspection Team, Environmental Compliance Manager, Environmental Coordinator, and Specialty Environmental Monitors for this project. 

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BioMaAS conducted pre-construction surveys for nesting birds, bats, and special-status wildlife, rare plants, and trees. We also conducted a relocation of San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat middens, California red-legged frog (CRLF), Alameda whipsnake, and fish, performed bat and bird deterrence and exclusion, and bird nest monitoring. Resources for the project included: special-status fish, Alameda whipsnake, CTS, CRLF, foothill yellow-legged frog, San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat, bald eagle, golden eagle, migratory nesting birds, bats, rainbow trout, water quality/SWPPP inspection, noise and vibration, air quality, traffic, aesthetics, and cultural resources.

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BioMaAS conducted surveys and relocation for all protected herpetological and fish species associated with the project area. Prior to construction, we performed California tiger salamander, Foothill yellow legged frog, and California red-legged frog surveys for all of the water bodies within and adjacent to the project area. We prepared and submitted to the resource agencies a survey and relocation plan for covered species. Tools such as seines, dipnets buckets were used to find larvae. We relocated adults, juveniles, larvae, and eggs of Foothill yellow-legged frog and CRLF species during the course of the project. Additionally, we relocated all western pond turtles and Alameda whipsnakes that were found during surveys and during the construction phase.

During construction, BioMaAS inspectors conducted daily inspections of all project-related activities and completed daily permit compliance reports detailing any issues observed. We also reported any environmental incidents and included them in a separate report for documentation purposes. Daily preconstruction surveys were conducted prior to the start of work at the beginning of each day for compliance issues and for protected species. Nesting bird surveys took place throughout the nesting season, nesting deterrents were placed in selected areas to prevent nesting from impacting the construction. In instances where active bird nests were discovered which could have been impacted by construction, biologists erected buffers to prevent project encroachment and monitored nests for disturbance due to project related activities. Maps with active bird nests and anticipated fledging dates were presented to the construction management team weekly.

 

OUTCOMES

 

During surveys, several bat roosts were discovered within the existing Diversion Dam structure. The discovery of maternal bat roosts in the Diversion Dam gate structure within the project site presented a different challenge and necessitated a different action, as breeding bats could not be relocated. BioMaAS bat specialists developed a plan for construction to continue near the structure using sound curtains to provide an acoustic buffer to prevent disturbance to the bats. A biologist monitored the bat roosts during all construction nearby with sound monitoring equipment to ensure that noise didn’t exceed acceptable levels.  This strategy minimized potentially significant delays to the project.

 

RELEVANCE

 

BioMaAS was responsible for providing the lead environmental compliance manager (ECM), the lead Environmental Inspector (EI), and the Specialty Environmental Monitor (SEM) for this project. Quality control and assurance over environmental compliance response was overseen by the ECM. The ECM provided by BioMaAS was responsible for the oversight of all biological and environmental inspections and ensured that qualified people were in place to conduct environmental inspections, surveys, biological monitoring, and reporting. The manager also ensured that all environmental permits were up to date and that all non-compliance issues associated with the permits were documented and recorded. The EI performed day-to-day inspections and advised the contractor on compliant and non-compliant activities. Additionally, the EI took water samples, monitored dust emissions, inspected equipment, and monitored for hazardous conditions to ensure compliance. The SEMs performed wildlife relocations when species were within the project limits, performed relocations prior to construction initiation, and monitored and provided updates for nesting birds within and adjacent to the project. As always, good communication was key to maintaining project compliance and achieving project goals, and weekly meetings took place between the environmental compliance management team, construction management team, and the SFPUC. Regulatory agencies were consulted and updated as necessary to ensure that any new environmental concerns that arose were addressed in a way that complied with project permit measures.

 

BioMaAS’ effort on this project involved environmental consulting services, special status species services, and streambed restoration planning services. We were intricately involved in all facets of the projects’ environmental permit requirements and coordination, from consulting with the resource agencies, to writing/reviewing environmental plans and other documents, to ensuring compliance, and conducting surveys for special status plants and wildlife species.

 

BioMaAS provided resource agency approved specialty environmental monitors, environmental inspectors, and environmental compliance managers from our primary office in San Francisco.