Bench Excavation
The California Dept of Water Resources recently awarded approximately $6 million to the local sponsor counties to implement bench excavation within the existing levees as an interim measure until the levee reconstruction project is finalized and implemented.
Project Goal: Bench excavation construction to begin in 2012
Bench excavation refers to the excavation of excess sediment from select locations along the upper terrace benches inside the Pajaro River. This process improves the flood carrying capacity of the levee system and helps maintain a shaded low-flow channel for critical fish passage. Bench excavation will eventually become self-maintaining and will help the river regain its natural ability to move sediment through the river channel system by natural geomorphic processes, as it did originally. This design feature was developed by the APV Stream Team.
- Potential fill re-use sites, including the Elkhorn Slough Restoration Project have been identified to receive the 322,000 cubic feet of spoils.
-The local sponsors are presently conducting CEQA and permitting of the project regarding potential truck trips that would be generated by the required movement of these soils. - Bench Excavation will add 10 Percent to the carrying capacity of the flood water and reduces the potential water surface elevation flood height by up to 1.2 feet.
- Bench Excavation is a maintenance project, not an element of the USACE levee-reconstruction project.
*Sept 2011 Update on Bench Excavation*
The bench excavation project has been delayed and won't begin this year as anticipated. For more information...
