Bell Marin Keys Unit V
CONSTRUCTION

PROJECT LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION

The project is located 25 miles north of San Francisco in the City of Novato, Marin County, California, on the west side of San Pablo Bay. The project is phase two of the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project (HWRP). The first phase, Hamilton Army Airfield (HAAF), concluded construction in 2014 and is currently in the adaptive management and monitoring phase. Bel Marin Keys Unit V is adjacent to the restored HAAF and adds 1600 acres to the restoration project, including 900 acres of tidal wetlands and 680 acres of non-tidal and freshwater wetlands, as well as upland, subtidal, and non-wetland tidal habitats, for a total acreage of approximately 2,600 acres for the expanded site. The purpose is to: (i) prepare the expanded site through a system of levees, channels, and other structures, for the creation of saltwater marsh habitat by the introduction of sea water from San Pablo Bay to help remedy the regional decline in such habitat; (ii) to provide Federal and Non-Federal navigation projects in the San Francisco Bay Area a location to dispose of dredged material in a manner beneficial to the environment. The project will provide for ecosystem and wetland restoration through beneficial reuse of dredged material, and for recreation, and involves the construction of new, improved, and containment levees, intertidal berms, and excavation of two tidal inlet channels. Dredged material will be placed to raise elevations suitable to a variety of habitats. The dredged material will come from nearby navigation projects and placed in a hydraulic off loader in San Pablo Bay and delivered through a pipeline that would be installed to connect the off loader to the restoration site.

FY23 – FY24 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Agreement with the non-federal sponsor for the design phase of the tidal wetland portion of the project was executed.
• The team is reworking the conceptual design to cut costs and collecting field data to begin efforts towards 35% design of the tidal wetland.

ISSUES AND OTHER INFORMATION

• California State Coastal Conservancy (SCC) is the non-Federal sponsor.
• Since the conclusion of restoration efforts at HAAF, protected species have begun utilizing the habitat, which necessitates supplemental environmental coordination.
• There is a limited source of sediment available in SF Bay. The San Francisco District Annual O&M Program Dredges less than 2,000,000 CY per year. This will prolong the construction period and need for the off loader and material conveyance system.
• Once the conceptual design is reworked to cut costs, the San Francisco District and SCC will enter into a Project Partnership Agreement that will allow Land, Easements, Rights-Of-Way, Relocation, and Disposal Areas (LERRDS) crediting of the BMKV parcel, which was purchased by the NFS in 2001, and the use of federal matching funds for the project.
• A 75/25 Federal/Non-Federal cost-share was authorized in WRDA 2014 Section 1030(d).
• SCC designed and built a levee under a Section 221 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU); construction completed in 2021. The intent of the MOU is for the non-Federal sponsor to receive credit for work provided or performed prior to execution of a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA). Because the design is configured differently than that in the plan  recommended in the General Reevaluation Report (GRR) authorized by Congress in WRDA 2007, the Corps must undertake an analysis to determine whether the proposed changes are within the existing Congressional authorization. Approved work will be credited after the PPA is executed.
• We are seeking $1,800,000 in the FY24 Workplan to continue design efforts for the tidal wetland.

CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST

• 2^nd District, Rep. Jared Huffman

POINT OF CONTACT

• Deputy for Project Management, Thomas R. Williams, 415-503-6560

Updated on 29 February 2024

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