Meadow Creek Lagoon Habitat Restoration Project

The Meadow Creek Lagoon Habitat Restoration Project is a mitigation requirement of the WMP. It is intended to restore connectivity between the Arroyo Grande Creek and Meadow Creek Lagoon systems to a more natural coastal condition, enhancing passage and habitat for the growth and survival of smolt and rearing steelhead. Following an alternatives analysis drafted by Stillwater Consulting and coordination with a Science Panel made up of regulatory agency representatives and other subject-matter experts, the District has selected a preferred alternative to achieve mitigation goals. Stillwater Consulting is completing preliminary engineering design and anticipates completing a final Alternatives Analysis Report for District review by mid-December 2026 after which time a full environmental analysis will be completed and regulatory permits obtained to enable construction of the restoration project.

Storm Response Efforts

Arroyo Grande Creek Channel Emergency Capacity Restoration Phase 1 Project

The Phase I Project was implemented to restore the creek’s convenance capacity and protect the surrounding community from flooding following the 2022-2023 winter storms. Construction began in September and was completed in November 2023. The project involved the excavation and removal of approximately 11,500 cubic yards of sediment and storm deposited debris, helping to ensure the channel can safely manage future storm flows.

Arroyo Grande Creek Channel Emergency Levee Rehabilitation Phase 2 Project

This project strengthened the creek’s levees to better protect the surrounding community from flooding. It included the installation of approximately 3,000 square feet of turf reinforcement mat (TRM) and construction of four hydraulic barrier walls down the center of the levee road to mitigate future seepage damage. Phase II was completed in December 2024.

Arroyo Grande Creek Channel Additive TRM and Breach Site Stabilization Project

Located just downstream of the Union Pacific Railroad bridge, this project was implemented to strengthen levee integrity and improve flow capacity through the bridge area. Turf reinforcement mat (TRM) was extended along a portion of the south levee where it previously did not exist to enhance erosion protection. Additional rock slope protection (RSP) was placed on the interior levee slope at the prior breach location to further stabilize the area and reduce the risk of future failures. Excess sediment was also removed from near and beneath the bridge to improve water conveyance and reduce flow constriction around the bridge piers. The project was completed in October 2025.

Annual Workplan Efforts

District staff submitted the 2025 Annual Work Plan to permitting agencies in April, outlining planned activities for the coming year, including vegetation management, sediment removal, and log structure maintenance. Implementation of the proposed work has begun, and staff will re-evaluate channel conditions after the winter season to prioritize any remaining maintenance needs.

Emergency Response Plan

Staff are preparing an interim update to the Emergency Response Plan to incorporate any lessons learned from previous emergency events. Preparation efforts include training response personnel on various scenarios, purchasing and staging response materials, identifying appropriate emergency notification triggers, calibrating field gages, and  establishing contracts with emergency response contractors where feasible. A more comprehensive update of the Plan will be prepared as storm response projects are finalized.

Other Flood Protection Planning Efforts

In March 2024, federal funds were appropriated under the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Congressionally Directed Spending grant program to support the District’s AG Creek Channel flood protection efforts. The District has since been awarded the grant and has begun completing the required post-obligation documents, which will allow the District to request reimbursement for eligible work. The first step will be to procure a consulting team to conduct an alternatives analysis that evaluates feasible flood mitigation solutions to improve flood protection for properties surrounding the AG Creek Channel. The District will use the Zone 1/1A Advisory Committee meetings to provide project updates and gather community feedback throughout the process. The project is anticipated to be completed by September 2027.

Staff executed a grant funding agreement with the Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS)  to voluntarily purchase and remove a residential building vulnerable to repeated flooding during storms that exceed the capacity of the Arroyo Grande Creek Channel. The project was completed in October 2025, and staff are now working with NRCS for final reimbursements. This effort restores the floodplain to more natural conditions, improves the area’s ability to manage floodwater, and creates opportunities for a future flood mitigation project. 

Staff is coordinating with members of the Arroyo Grande Creek and Watershed Memorandum of Understanding agreement to look at how to sustainably fund ongoing operation and maintenance of planned flood management projects with source sediment reduction benefits in the Corbett and Tally Ho Creek sub-watershed. This area contributes to the sediment load in Arroyo Grande Creek.