SCH Number 2019129011

Project Info

Title

Foster Meadow Restoration Project

Description

The Foster Meadow Restoration Project (Project) will restore channel-floodplain connectivity in the headwaters of the Middle Fork Cosumnes River in Foster Meadow (Eldorado National Forest, El Dorado County, California). The Project is an activity that will eliminate incised gullies and improve aquatic organism passage at the Foster Meadow Road (FS9N14) crossing. Construction will require one month during the low/no flow period (proposed for September 1-30, 2020). Filling the incised channels will require excavation and placement, using heavy equipment, of 22,533 cu yds of soil fill in 7 plugs to eliminate the existing gullies and raise/restore the base elevation of surface water flow in the meadow by redirecting flow into existing vegetated remnant channels. Fill sources include 4 borrow pits along the meadow margins and 4 areas of in-meadow cut/grading. The project will also require placement of 900 cu yds of 2.0-ft minus rock/soil, sourced from the US Forest Service (USFS) Tragedy Pit; 400 cu yds will be placed in-stream in 9 rock riffles at the project bottom to create a transition between the new meadow gradient and downstream channel gradient. The remaining 500 cu yds of rock will be used to construct an aquatic organism passage below the FS9N14 crossing; road crossing work also includes placement of multiple floodplain culverts to eliminate the backwater effect of flow in a single culvert and improve passage opportunities through the crossing. Revegetation with native seed and willows, and stockpiling of existing topsoil, sod mats, and willow wads are an integral component of the Project. The Project would enhance wetland conditions on 20.66 acres of palustrine wetland (montane meadow), create 0.86 acres of palustrine open water, and result in an additional 344 feet of riverine channel (0.2 acres).

2 documents in project