Delilah Creek Habitat and Water Quality Enhancement Project
62 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2019100230
Lead Agency
California Regional Water Quality Control Board, North Coast Region 1
(RWQCB)
Document Title
Delilah Creek Habitat and Water Quality Enhancement Project
Document Type
NOD - Notice of Determination
Received
Posted
12/10/2025
Document Description
The Lower Delilah project will create a forested tidal swamp with multiple channels and tidal basins that transition in the upstream direction into a highly functional riparian corridor along lower Delilah Creek. This tidal-fluvial transitional ecotone, once prevalent throughout the Smith River estuary, is now rare but highly valuable for multiple aquatic and riparian dependent species, including rearing salmonids. Specific project goals for the lower Delilah Creek project include: 1) Restoring channel hydrology, tidal exchange and natural fluvial processes including sediment transport; 2) Creating complex slow-water rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids; 3) Improving water quality through flow circulation, riparian buffers, and reduction of decomposing vegetation associated with RCG; 4) Restoring riparian habitat by planting native vegetation, limiting livestock access, and controlling invasive species; 5) Improving drainage and productivity in adjacent agricultural fields; and 6) Providing unimpaired fish passage through the project reach by upgrading two undersized stream crossings. The Upper Delilah project proposes to re-establish the Delilah Creek stream channel to a historical alignment and create a geomorphically stable channel while balancing the needs of the landowner to continue agricultural operation. Specific project goals for the upper Delilah Creek project include: 1) Improving fish passage by removing one and upgrading three crossings; 2) Restoring historic alignment with increased channel complexity and sinuosity, large wood structures, and an inset floodplain to provide additional flood capacity within the stream channel; 3) Create highly diverse native riparian areas within a fenced corridor; 4) Provide sufficient spatial buffer between channel and fence line to allow for lateral channel adjustments, and 5) Reduce sediment delivery to the channel from agricultural field runoff.
Contact Information
Name
Jacob Shannon
Agency Name
North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
Job Title
Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist)
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Monica Scholey
Agency Name
Smith River Alliance
Job Title
Program Coordinator
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Location
Notice of Determination
Approving Agency
North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
Approving Agency Role
Lead Agency
Approved On
Determinations
(1) The project will have a significant impact on the environment
No
(2a) An Environmental Impact Report was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
Yes
(2b) A Mitigated or a Negative Declaration was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
No
(2c) An other document type was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
Yes (Programmatic Environmental Impact Report)
(3) Mitigated measures were made a condition of the approval of the project
Yes
(4) A mitigation reporting or monitoring plan was adopted for this project
Yes
(5) A Statement of Overriding Considerations was adopted for this project
No
(6) Findings were made pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
Yes
Attachments
Notice of Determination
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