Arcade Creek Park Preserve Restoration Project

This award-winning City of Citrus Heights project revitalized a deteriorated natural corridor for public use within Arcade Creek Park and Preserve.

Arcade Creek, a highly degraded urban creek with steep eroding banks, flows through the preserve, which is heavily forested with native oak woodland and riparian vegetation. Creek restoration was part of a master plan, which also included installation of a group picnic and play area, multi-use trail, Low Impact Development (LID) parking lot with bioswales, a boardwalk through wetland features, an informational kiosk, par-course workout stations, and an interpretive signage program. In 2015, this project won a CA State Parks California Trails and Greenways merit award.

Working with the prime consultant, cbec provided creek restoration surveying, modeling, and design services. Efforts involved inset floodplain terracing and stabilization, as well as the removal of select surrounding vegetation. Three priority restoration sites were identified through initial site reconnaissance consisting of topographic surveys using a combination of a total station and real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning. New hydrologic and hydraulic models were developed from the existing SacCalc and HEC-RAS models of the creek existing conditions. The existing condition hydraulic and hydrologic models were then used to provide design parameters such as depth, flow, velocity, and bed shear stress for statistically relevant flow events.

Design features consisted of re-contoured creek banks to reduce erosive stress and connect the channel with its floodplain, and biotechnical stabilization techniques incorporating large wood features to limit future erosion. To further stabilize banks and enhance habitat, native vegetation varieties were replanted where and existing non-native eucalyptus and blackberry were removed. Additionally, site restoration of priority site 3 involved a stabilizing grade control/step pool system on a drainage tributary to the creek. The project also required scour analysis, and riprap design to protect abutments of two new pedestrian bridges. cbec developed of 50%, 90%, and final construction documents, and also provided observation during construction in 2014.

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Waterbody / Watershed

Arcade Creek