The city of sacramento will carry out a programmatic evaluation and produce restoration site designs for 30-acres of rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids on a 17-mile stretch of the lower american…

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded $1.0 million to the Sacramento Region Water Forum under the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program (CFDA 15.580) on August 21, 2025, for a study and design project addressing habitat restoration on the lower American River. The project will conduct a programmatic evaluation and produce a comprehensive 60% design package for 30 acres of juvenile salmonid rearing habitat across 10 sites on a 17-mile stretch of river in Sacramento, California. Deliverables include baseline environmental assessments, wetland delineation studies, and detailed restoration site designs informed by a 2020 salmonid rearing concept report and stakeholder priorities. Proposed restoration activities encompass creating migratory corridors, lowering the floodplain to restore natural conditions, and establishing native riparian vegetation to address historic impacts from urban and industrial development, including streambed degradation and fish passage obstruction.

The project is expected to be completed by September 30, 2027, and will be managed through an existing multi-stakeholder Water Forum comprising local environmental nonprofits, city governmental entities, local businesses, large landowners, and water districts. This collaborative approach aligns with the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program's emphasis on jointly developed projects with widespread regional benefits that support the restoration of anadromous fish species.

The city of sacramento will carry out a programmatic evaluation and produce restoration site designs for 30-acres of rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids on a 17-mile stretch of the lower american river in sacramento, california. This reach of the american river has been impaired by historic river modifications for urban and industrial development, resulting in lowered streambed elevations, reduced fish spawning habitat, fish passage obstruction, and overall habitat degradation. The city plans to create optimal salmonid rearing habitat and restore natural riparian conditions by conducting a baseline assessment of the area and carrying-out wetland delineation, to inform the development of a holistic 60% design package for 30 acres of high-quality habitat across 10 sites. Potential projects include creating a rearing and migratory corridor, lowering the floodplain, and establishing native plant species. The project design will take an ecosystems-approach to restoring habitat across the river corridor, and plans will be driven by stakeholder and data-identified priorities developed in a 2020 salmonid rearing concept report. This project will be managed by an existing water forum that includes local environmental nonprofits, city governmental entities, local businesses, large landowners and several water districts surrounding the watershed.