City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2025-01459 8/26/2025
Authority to Apply for the State of California, Wildlife Conservation Board’s Habitat Planning Grant
File ID: 2025-01459
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Interim City Manager, or designee to: 1) apply for grant funding from the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) Habitat Planning Grant; and, if awarded, 2) execute a Grant Funding Agreement for the California WCB Habitat Planning Grant; 3) prepare the necessary data, and execute all reporting, payment requests, and documentation of compliance related to the grant through completion of the project; 4) create a new project Wildlife Conservation Board Habitat Planning Grant (G14250200); and 5) establish revenue and expenditures budgets for the WCB Habitat Planning Grant (G14250200, fund 7105) for an amount not-to-exceed $332,819, or the amount awarded.
Contact: Ashlee Casey, Executive Director, (916) 808-5378, [email protected]; Erica Bishop, Program Manager, (916) 808-1997, [email protected]; Emily Lee, Administrative Analyst, (916) 808-1993, [email protected]; Water Forum
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The Water Forum is seeking authority to apply for the California Wildlife Conservation Board, Lower American River Conservancy Program Grant for an amount up to $332,819. City Council authority is necessary to execute the contract, accept the funding, manage the grant, open the project, and establish the revenue and expenditure budgets.
Since 2008, the Water Forum has partnered with State and Federal agencies to implement vitally important salmonid habitat improvements in the Lower American River (LAR). The habitat projects serve Water Forum’s coequal objective to “Preserve and protect the fishery, wildlife, aesthetic and recreational resources of the Lower American River”. Restoring and protecting aquatic ecosystems offers wide-ranging benefits for people and wildlife. Functioning aquatic ecosystems provide habitat
File ID: 2025-01459 8/26/2025
for fish and wildlife, improve water quality, and store excess carbon, mitigate the impacts of drought and flood events, and support multiple water uses. These improvements also support the potential funding agency’s (WCB’s) plans to work cooperatively safeguarding California's biological diversity and wild spaces for the benefit of present and future generations. WCB works in partnership with tribes, conservation organizations, and government agencies to acquire lands and design and implement habitat restoration and public access projects statewide.
The Grant solicitation supports entities, like the Water Forum, aiming to plan and construct habitat improvements to the rivers of the Central Valley of California populations of fall run chinook, spring run chinook, and winter run chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Steelhead Trout (O.
Mykiss). Water resources development, stream channel manipulation, and other anthropogenic actions have drastically reduced and modified historical salmonid habitats.
In the past 5 years, Water Forum has leveraged almost $13 million in State/Federal grant funding to implement 32 acres of spawning habitat to serve adult salmonids and 21 acres of instream rearing habitat improvements, consisting of over two miles of perennial side channels and adjacent seasonally inundated floodplain benches and alcoves that are activated for juvenile salmonid use at varying river flows. These activities serve Water Forum goals under the Habitat Management Element (HME) and also the goals of our funding partners.
The goal of activities funded under this agreement would be to leverage previous habitat construction planning and design and ongoing fisheries and physical habitat conditions monitoring data to undertake the Lower American River Rearing Habitat Restoration Planning for Juvenile Salmonids.
The proposed project would advance the study, conceptual design, CEQA compliance, and a programmatic permitting strategy for up to 10 juvenile salmonid rearing habitat sites, comprising approximately 30 acres of created or enhanced habitat for native fall-run Chinook salmon and steelhead trout. The evaluation will utilize the Ecological Floodplain Inundation Potential (EcoFIP) toolkit which includes a robust multi-parameters analysis using LAR specific data. Some sites under evaluation were previously identified (at a conceptual level) as part of Water Forum’s existing, robust and successful salmonid habitat program on the Lower American River. If awarded, project activities would take place from December 2025 - April 2028.
Policy Considerations: Council Resolution 2025-0162 requires City Council approval for grant agreements and budget transfers of more than $250,000.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The activity to apply for grant funds and execute all agreements and documents of compliance related to the grant is not a project pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines 15378(b)(4). The activity is the creation of government funding mechanisms which do not involve any commitment to any
File ID: 2025-01459 8/26/2025
specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment and is not subject to CEQA. CEQA Guidelines 15060©(3).
Sustainability: Implementation of salmonid habitat improvement projects that benefit the Lower American River ecosystem is a fundamental element of the Water Forum Agreement and a central component of the Water Forum’s Habitat Management Element, which is supported by the City’s General Plan Goals, specifically Natural and Open Space Protection (E.R. 2.1).
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: Since 2008, Water Forum has partnered with State and Federal agencies to plan, design, permit, construct, and monitor restoration activities in the LAR. To date, over 30 acres of spawning habitat and 21 acres of instream rearing habitat, including perennial side channels and seasonally inundated floodplain areas have been created or enhanced, with demonstrated success. Application for this funding would facilitate the Water Forum’s ability to continue this important work for the region. Additionally, the restoration and enhancement areas under evaluation have also been included in the County of Sacramento, Regional Parks, Natural Resource Management Plan for the American River Parkway. The County, and its Regional Parks Department are long-time partners on Water Forum’s habitat program work.
Financial Considerations: The Water Forum could receive up to $332,819, from this grant award with the Wildlife Conservation Board. There is no cost share associated with this grant application.
If awarded, staff recommends opening a new project WCB Habitat Grant Planning Project (G14250200) and establishing revenue and expenditure budgets in the Water Forum’s Reimbursable Fund (fund 7105) for an amount up to $332,819, or the grant award.
There are no General Fund obligations for this project.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
August 26, 2025
Authority to Apply for the State of California, Wildlife Conservation Board’s Habitat Planning Grant, Manage the Grant, Open the Project, and Establish Revenue and Expenditure Budgets
BACKGROUND
A. The State of California, Wildlife Conservation Board has announced the Habitat Planning Grant for $332,819, to be awarded in Fiscal Year 2026.
B. The Water Forum seeks approval to accept the Wildlife Conservation Board Habitat Planning Grant and work with the granting agency or its designee to meet established deadlines for entering into a grant or cooperative agreement.
C. If awarded, staff recommend opening the Wildlife Conservation Board Habitat Planning Grant Project (G14250200) and adjusting revenue and expense budget in the project for a not-to-exceed amount of $332,819, or the grant award.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Manager or the City Manager’s designee is authorized to:
A. Apply for grant funding through the State of California, Wildlife Conservation Board Habitat Planning Grant.
B. If awarded, execute the grant agreement and accept grant funding through the State of California, Wildlife Conservation Board Habitat Planning Grant.
C. If awarded, work with the granting agency or its designee to establish deadlines for entering into a grant or cooperative agreement, prepare the necessary data, and execute all reporting, payment requests, and documentation of compliance applicable to the grant and completion of the project.
D. If awarded, create the Wildlife Conservation Board Habitat Planning Grant Project (G14250200), establish revenue and expenditure budgets in the City-County Office of Metropolitan Water Planning (CCOMWP) Reimbursable Fund (fund 7105), for a not-to-exceed amount of $332,819, or the grant award.