San Lorenzo River Vegetation Management for Flood Control Project

The approximate project area is over 20 acres and the vegetation management needs vary significantly. The San Lorenzo River annual maintenance is required as outlined in the San Lorenzo Urban River Plan and as a flood control measure required by the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Operations, Maintenance, Repair, Replacement and Rehabilitation (OMRR&R) manual. The San Lorenzo River requires annual vegetation management to comply with the requirements outlined in the San Lorenzo Urban River Plan and to maintain flood capacity as required by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) amended permit allows vegetation management activities to occur between September 1 to January 15 to decrease project impacts to nesting and breeding birds, the USACE requires that the vegetation maintenance be completed prior to winter flood flows. Portions of this project include vegetation management activities on the San Lorenzo River levees. Vegetation management activities on levees are guided by USACE's Engineering Pamphlet (EP), EP 1110-2-18, "Guidelines for Landscape Planting and Vegetation Management at Levees, Floodwalls, Embankment Dams, and Appurtenant Structures", which outlines the requirements for managing vegetation on levees. This EP outlines the requirements to ensure that landscape planting and vegetation management provide aesthetic and environmental benefits without compromising the reliability of flood control facilities. All vegetation management activities shall be conducted with the highest level of concern and best practices to promote and preserve habitat value and conserve the aesthetic and environmental benefits the San Lorenzo River Levees provide to the community. All vegetation management must be conducted to promote plant survivability. The project is divided in to four zones each zone has different vegetation management needs.