July 19, 2022
.
Public Works
DATE: July 19, 2022
TO: Mayor Butt and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Joe Leach, PE, Director of Public Works
Patrick Phelan, Infrastructure Administrator
Subject:
Resolution for Sole-Source Contract with American
Rivers for the Flood Risk Reduction in the Rheem Creek
Watershed Project
FINANCIAL IMPACT: This contract is fully funded by a grant from the California Natural Resources Agency (Account string: 40623431-
400201-22A02)
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
City Council adopted Resolution 83-21 on July 6, 2021,
approving the application for grant funds and authorizing the City Manager, or their designee, to execute
agreements with project partners to complete the project.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
American Rivers has been assisting the City with the
Rheem Creek project since 2019 and is uniquely suited
to carry out project management and other services on
the Flood Risk Reduction in the Rheem Creek Watershed
Project.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution to approve a Sole Source
Professional Services Contract with American Rivers in
an amount not to exceed $300,500 for the grant-funded
Flood Risk Reduction in the Rheem Creek Watershed
Project – Public Works (Joe Leach/Patrick Phelan 307-
8111).
AGENDA
REPORT
July 19, 2022
DISCUSSION:
In 2019, American Rivers obtained a $274,515 planning and design grant from the California Coastal State Coastal Conservancy for the “Community-Based Ecological Solutions in Rheem Creek Watershed” project. In this project, American Rivers collaborated with the City, The Watershed Project, Restoration Design Group, and other local partners to complete technical studies and prepare community-supported plans to solve flooding issues along Rheem Creek. That project’s deliverables include a topographic survey, 65% designs, a maintenance & monitoring plan, and permits submitted to the appropriate regulatory agencies. Project partners also did extensive community outreach to survey residents about their experience of the flooding and what they would like to see in the construction project. Due to Covid-19 closures, some of the in-person outreach was replaced with the creation of a “storybook” to visualize the history and future of the creek. This planning and design project made the City well prepared to seek implementation grants.
In June of 2020, the City, along with the above-mentioned partners, submitted an application to the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) Urban Flood Protection Grant Program requesting $1.6 million for final design and project implementation for a restoration project. Construction of the proposed restoration project will reduce flooding by removing invasive species and excessive sediment, grading a geomorphically stable channel, and planting native riparian vegetation to improve creek habitat. The grant application defines the Project Team as the City, The Watershed Project, Restoration Design Group, and American Rivers. On July 6, 2021, City Council adopted Resolution 83-21, approving the application for grant funds and authorizing the City Manager, or designee, to execute agreements with project partners to complete the project. On September 7, 2021, CNRA awarded the City $1,598,844 for the Flood Risk Reduction in the Rheem Creek Watershed Project. On April 19, 2022, the City received fully executed Grant Agreement number UF8814-0 for the project.
American Rivers (AR) will assist with project management of the Flood Risk Reduction in the Rheem Creek Watershed Project. AR will execute subcontracts with the other two project partners, The Watershed Project and Restoration Design Group, and be responsible for day-to-day oversight of the pre-construction portion of the project. The City will manage and publicly bid the construction phase of the project. AR will also lead the development of the Operations, Maintenance & Monitoring Plan that will help the City plan for the required 25 years of maintenance of the project improvements.
AR is uniquely suited to this work, due to their previous participation in the project, as well as their extensive experience designing and implementing multiple benefit projects that restore waterways, enhance habitat, reduce flood risk, improve ecological function, and engage local communities in long-term stewardship.
July 19, 2022
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Contract
Attachment 3 – Sole Source Justification
Attachment 4 – Scope of Work
Attachment 5 – Project Budget