Over the past several years, cbec has collaborated with California Department of Water Resources (DWR) on Floodplain Restoration and Recharge Pilot Studies to develop and improve the EcoFIP toolkit. Ecological Floodplain Inundation Potential (EcoFIP) refers to a suite of eco-hydraulic modeling tools developed to identify and evaluate physical opportunities for multi-benefit floodplain rehabilitation through levee modification (setbacks and/or breaching) or topographic modification. EcoFIP comprehensively assesses physical opportunities for floodplain restoration and managed aquifer recharge at the parcel- or river mile-scale, while providing conceptual design analysis at the project scale. DWR recently published a Story Map highlighting this work, which has been shared widely across the water resources community.
The initial pilot study on the Upper San Joaquin River (see StoryMap below detailing Phase 1 of this effort) continues, and has led to several additional pilot studies throughout California. In Pajaro Valley, the team is working with the Army Corps and several local flood and groundwater agencies to explore multi-benefit project design within a planned levee improvement project. Additional pilot studies are underway on the Cosumnes River and within the Upper San Joaquin Regional Flood Management Plan area. Stay tuned as results from the four pilot studies continue to be released in the coming months!
cbec will be presenting this work at the upcoming 2023 Flood-MAR Public Forum: Flood-MAR in Action on November 8th. Register today for an up-to-date overview of the progress on these pilot studies. More information on the EcoFIP toolkit is also available on our EcoFIP Service Area page.
