The walnut creek watershed council (council), an existing watershed group, seeks funding to engage stakeholders to complete a community-supported watershed restoration plan (WRP) for the walnut…

The Walnut Creek Watershed Council received a $298,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation under the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CFDA 15.554) to engage stakeholders and develop a community-supported Watershed Restoration Plan (WRP) for the Walnut Creek Watershed in the San Francisco Bay region. The project aims to alleviate key issues of concern by establishing a vision and actionable objectives to design and implement nature-based, multi-benefit creek restoration projects that enhance fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, and climate resilience, while also increasing equitable access, recreation, and educational opportunities for the public. The grant award has an ultimate completion date of March 31, 2028.

The walnut creek watershed council (council), an existing watershed group, seeks funding to engage stakeholders to complete a community-supported watershed restoration plan (WRP) for the walnut creek watershed in the SAN francisco BAY region. Due to the size and complexity of the watershed, along with the large number of diverse stakeholders, the council has begun working with partners to conduct an extensive outreach and engagement plan to identify and prioritize restoration opportunities in each sub-watershed. Drawing on stakeholder input, previously conducted studies, inventories of existing conditions, recommendations, and analysis of opportunities and constraints, the council will collaboratively develop the WRP in response to critical needs. The resulting plan will alleviate impacts of key issues of concern by establishing a vision and actionable objectives to design and implement nature-based, multi-benefit creek restoration projects that enhance fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, and climate resilience while increasing equitable access, recreational, and educational opportunitiesfor the public to connect with nature while maintaining and improving the sustainability of flood protection.