The east BAY regional park district's (ebrpd) project at brook road will correct hindered public access to tilden regional park and improve impaired flow of the wildcat creek

This $750,000 federal Project Grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 under the Geographic Programs - San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (CFDA 66.126) will support the East Bay Regional Park District's efforts to improve public access and water quality in the Tilden Regional Park and Wildcat Creek watershed.

The key products and services to be delivered through this grant include: removing a concrete weir, restoring 500 linear feet of creek bed and banks, installing 3,500 native watershed plants, constructing two free-span bridges, and upgrading a parking lot with a stormwater retention area. These activities are intended to enhance water flow, reduce runoff and trash, stabilize creek banks, and improve overall watershed health and water quality downstream. The project also aims to increase public access to Tilden Regional Park. The expected long-term outcomes include habitat restoration and improved water quality to benefit native fish and plant species within the Wildcat Creek watershed.

Tilden regional park lies within the upper wildcat creek watershed where runoff from this area often effects areas in the lower watershed. This project is focused on removing physical barriers that hinder flow and negatively effect water quality. This multi-benefit project will include improvements to walkway and road access for pedestrians and maintenance vehicles while repairing and protecting riparian habitat from pollution and bank erosion. This assistance agreement provides full federal funding in the amount of $750,000. See terms and conditions. Activities:to implement the SAN francisco estuary partnership comprehensive conservation and management plan (ccmp), the ebrpd will remove a concrete weir, restore 500 linear feet of channel bed and bank, install approximately 3,500 watershed-based native plants, construct two free-span bridges, and upgrade the parking lot with a stormwater retention area. The work will keep vehicles, people, and dogs out of the wetted channel and reduce the amount of runoff and trash entering the waterway to improve overall watershed health. In addition, invasive plant removal and new, native riparian plantings will help stabilize the creek banks, reducing bank erosion, sedimentation, and scouring to enhance water quality downstream. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:anticipated deliverables include: -the installation of two (2) free span bridges, -removal of a concrete weir to improve water flow, -removal of concrete channel that will allow for increased stormwater infiltration, -the installation of a small stormwater retention pond to capture and treat runoff from the nearby parking lot, -removal of invasive plants along the creek and replanting of native species to stabilize creek banks. Expected long-term outcomes include habitat restoration along the wildcat creek and improved water quality downstream. Improved water quality in the upper watershed will increase habitat health and water quality throughout the watershed as well as positively impact the communities within the watershed. The intended beneficiaries include the native fish and plant species, including steelhead and trout. This project will also increase access to tilden regional park while improving downstream water quality for neighboring communities within the wildcat creek watershed.