Berkeley North Basin Project
Berkeley, Alameda County; Measure AA Region: East Bay.
Planning, Permitting, and Design
Safe, Clean Water and Pollution Prevention Program; Vital Fish, Bird and Wildlife Habitat Program; Integrated Flood Protection Program; Shoreline Public Access Program
This grant funds East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) to conduct environmental studies and prepare environmental documentation under CEQA, assess the feasibility of daylighting Schoolhouse Creek, conduct community engagement, and prepare preliminary designs for the restoration of shoreline habitats and associated trails in North Basin Strip and Berkeley Meadow within McLaughlin Eastshore State Park (MESP) in Alameda County.
EBRPD will conduct the environmental studies necessary to inform the development of restoration design alternatives which will include community engagement meetings to ensure the project reflects the diverse constituents of the EBRPD and the local needs. The project will plan for the restoration of North Basin Strip and the edges of Berkeley Meadow by enhancing and restoring the intertidal shoreline and adjacent uplands into climate resilient habitats. The project will also explore nature-based flood protection options, such as the creation of tidal wetlands, to replace current shoreline infrastructure including concrete construction debris that was originally designed to protect park trails and other public access facilities from flooding but is aging and in need of repair and maintenance.
The project will evaluate the feasibility of daylighting Schoolhouse Creek based on recommendations from the Friends of Five Creek’s original daylighting study (2004). Once daylighted, the stretch of creek could offer substantial ecological benefits through water quality improvements from urban runoff through creation of freshwater wetlands and provide opportunities for environmental education. The project will also plan for creation of more than one mile of the Bay Trail and compatible public access features while creating workforce development opportunities by engaging local youth and the community during the planning process. EBRPD shall not receive any of this disbursement until they consult with Ohlone representatives, Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, and the City of Berkeley.
