City of Sacramento
City Council - 2PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2025-01737 11/18/2025
Agreement: Lower American River Programmatic Design Development of Rearing Habitat for Juvenile Salmonids
File ID: 2025-01737
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Pass a Motion authorizing the Interim City Manager or designee to: 1) execute a Professional Service Agreement with Verdantas Inc, to provide Lower American River (LAR) rearing sites programmatic design development for WaterSMART Salmon Habitat (G14240200, Funds 7104 and 7105), for an amount not-to-exceed $495,958; 2) execute a Professional Service Agreement with S.P. Cramer, Inc. to provide programmatic evaluation and design of juvenile salmonid rearing habitat restoration sites for WaterSMART Salmon Habitat (G14240200, Funds 7104 and 7105), for an amount not-to exceed $289,501; and 3) resetting the authority of the Interim City Manager or designee to enter into agreements under Request for Qualifications (Q23804101002), “Riparian and Upland Habitat Restoration, Landscape Architecture, Recreation and Mitigation Planning” and “Fisheries Biology and Habitat Design”.
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]; Utilities Department Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Contract - Verdantas Inc.
3-Contract - S.P. Cramer Inc.
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: Staff recommend Council approve the agreements with Verdantas Inc, to provide LAR rearing sites programmatic design development and S.P. Cramer, Inc. to provide programmatic evaluation and design of juvenile salmonid rearing habitat restoration sites. The Water Forum was awarded the WaterSMART Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Grant and has partnered up with the U.S.
Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation on the WaterSMART Salmon Habitat (G14240200) (Project). The purpose of this project is for planning and design of vitally important salmonid habitat
File ID: 2025-01737 11/18/2025
improvements in the Lower American River (LAR).
Policy Considerations: City Council approval is required for contracts of $250,000 or more. This action is consistent with Section 3.56.090 of the Sacramento City Code and existing policy regarding professional service agreements.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: The proposed activity is not a project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2 and 5). The activities described in this report including a Professional Services Agreement for programmatic evaluation and design services are continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as purchases or personnel- related activities, and administrative activities that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes on the environment. This activity is not subject to CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060 (c)(3).
Sustainability: The proposed project is consistent with the 2040 General Plan under policy ERC-2.1, Climate Change-related Habitat Restoration and Enhancement, as it evaluates salmonid habitat sites in the Lower American River to design vitally important salmonid habitat improvements.
Commission/Committee Action: None.
Rationale for Recommendation: Water Forum’s RFQ (Q23804101002) On-Call list was established on September 1, 2023, for Fiscal Years (FY) 2024, 2025, and 2026. Approval of the agreements with Verdantas Inc and S.P. Cramer, Inc. for $495,958 and $289,501, respectively, and the resetting of authority of RFQ “Riparian and Upland Habitat Restoration, Landscape Architecture, Recreation and Mitigation Planning” and “Fisheries Biology and Habitat Design” category will enable the Water Forum to fulfill its contractual obligations to carry out a programmatic evaluation and produce restoration site designs for rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids on the LAR.
Financial Considerations: The proposed agreement with Verdantas Inc. is for an amount not-to- exceed $495,958 and the agreement for S.P. Cramer, Inc. is for an amount not-to-exceed $289,501.
Sufficient funding exists in the Water Forum Program Operating Budget (Fund 7103) and WaterSMART Salmon Habitat Project (G14240200, Funds 7104 and 7105) to award the agreement.
Funding this agreement for future fiscal years will be subject to the availability of sufficient funds in the budget adopted for the applicable fiscal year.
There are no General Funds allocated or planned for this agreement.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
255 Industrial Blvd.West Sacramento, CA 95691+1 916-231-6052 Verdantas.com
DateAugust 26, 2025ToErica Bishop, Sacramento Water ForumFromChris Hammersmark and Ben Taber, Verdantas Inc.SubjectLAR Rearing Sites Programmatic Design Development - Scope of Work Project NumberP000034506IntroductionOver the past 15 years the Water Forum has developed a robust program for implementation and adaptive management of salmonid habitat enhancement projects on the Lower American River (LAR). Based upon physical monitoring and best available knowledge, it has been determined that the LAR has a deficit in viable salmonid rearing habitat available to juveniles at typical flows. The purpose of this project is to develop 65% level designs to allow for the initiation of programmatic permitting for up to 10 discrete project sites with the goal of providing a minimum of 30 additional acres of rearing habitat on the LAR. The Sacramento Water Forum has requested that Verdantas Inc. provide the following scope of work and budget estimate to provide engineering and consulting services related to the juvenile rearing habitat enhancement program on the Lower American River. This work involves extensive stakeholder outreach, field data collection and site reconnaissance, review of existing data, design alternatives analysis and site selection, flood impact analysis, development of 65% designs, plans, specifications, and cost estimates (PSE) for up to 10 individual sites, and a comprehensive basis of design report to document all work performed. This contract will build upon past analytical efforts: LAR Salmonid Rearing Habitat Enhancement Project Identification and Prioritization report (cbec 2020), updated digital elevation model for the entire LAR floodway(cbec 2024), and updated system wide 2D hydraulic modeling (cbec 2025a and cbec 2025b). Additional details on the tasks included in this scope of work are provided below. Scope of WorkTask 1 – Project Management The Verdantas project director, Chris Hammersmark, and project manager, Ben Taber, will be responsible for direct coordination with the project team and the Water Forum’s Habitat Program Manager, Erica Bishop. This task includes budget for general project management related to this scope of work including contracting, budget tracking, invoicing and coordination with the Water Forum.
Verdantas.com
LAR Rearing Sites Programmatic Design Development - Scope of Work August 2025Task 2 – Quality Management This task covers time for Director and Senior review of key project milestones including hydraulic modeling, presentation materials, flood impact report, plans, specifications and cost estimates, and the basis of design report.Task 3 – Stakeholder Outreach Design of the project sites requires extensive coordination with the landowner, SacramentoCounty Parks (Parks), the Water Forum, United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), and other project consultants. Budget has been provided to allow for participation in meetings, preparationof presentations, numerical analysis, and field visits. It is anticipated that multiple meetings will be required with the entire stakeholder group and separate meetings with individual entities throughout the course of the project to solicit input, site constraints and ultimately approval of the proposed 65% designs outlined in Task 7. Assumptions:Level of effort will not exceed allotted budgetTask 4 – Field Data Collection and Reconnaissance Field data collection will be conducted to collect water surface elevations to further validate the hydraulic model developed in 2024. These data will indicate if there have been any topographic or bathymetric changes to the LAR since the topo-bathymetric LiDAR was collected in 2023. Budget has also been allocated for key project staff to perform field reconnaissance of the project sites prior to developing the 65% designs. Assumptions:Up to 4 days of water surface elevation surveys to be performed during two different flowrates.Up to 3 days of reconnaissance for key project staff.Deliverables:Water surface elevation data and model validation results will be documented in the Basis ofDesign report.Task 5 – Design Alternatives Development and AnalysisVerdantas will first compile and review all relevant previous data and studies, including: the existing LAR Salmonid Rearing Habitat Enhancement Project Identification and Prioritization report (cbec 2020), the latest iteration of the 2D hydraulic model, hydrologic and topographic datato be used for this project. The existing data will provide a basis for developing up to 10 individual Verdantas.com
LAR Rearing Sites Programmatic Design Development - Scope of Work August 2025sites that will provide at least 30 acres of juvenile salmonid rearing habitat. The ecohydraulic design process will be advanced in an iterative manner using the hydraulic model to evaluate to inform changes each of the designs based upon hydraulic function, anticipated habitat benefits, persistence, and potential flood impacts. Habitat modeling will utilize species and life-stage specific habitat suitability criteria (i.e., depth, velocity, cover) that is consistent with previous successful salmonid habitat enhancement projects on the LAR.Deliverables:65% design surfaces will be provided in raster format and will be used as a basis for Tasks 6– 9.Task 6 – Flood Impact Analysis In addition to utilizing the 2D hydraulic model for habitat design, Verdantas will update the existing conditions model with the 65% design surfaces to evaluate the potential flood effects of the 10 proposed projects. The main objectives of this study are to analyze the cumulative flood effects of the proposed project elements against baseline conditions. Three flow rates: 115,000 cfs, 160,000 cfs, 192,000 cfs will be simulated for the following conditions:Entire reach at three flow rates for 2023 topography and vegetation/roughness (i.e.,existing conditions), andEntire reach at three flow rates for 2023 topography and vegetation/roughness with all 10proposed projects included.Ultimately the flood impact analysis will be presented in a report to be used for programmatic permitting of the proposed sites. The report will include information regarding data sources, model development, assumptions, and results.Deliverables:Flood Analysis Report electronically, in pdf format.Task 7 – 65% Design Drawings Using the surfaces created under Task 5, Verdantas will develop 65% level plans that will be used for programmatic permitting efforts. Plans will consist of four sheets for each site; 1) cover sheet, 2) plan sheet (showing existing and design contours), profile sheet and 4) representative cross sections. Assumptions:Drawings will not be bid ready and are for the purpose of permitting future projects, notconstruction.Deliverables:65% design plans electronically, in pdf format.
Verdantas.com
LAR Rearing Sites Programmatic Design Development - Scope of Work August 2025Task 8 – 65% Construction and Engineering Cost Estimates Utilizing construction bids received over the past five years for the LAR and other similar habitat enhancement projects, Verdantas will develop a cost opinion for project construction (bid schedule) and engineering services for each of the 65% designs as presented in Task 7. These cost estimates will be the basis for future planning and funding efforts conducted by the Water Forum. Additionally, for each project site, a table will be produced outlining general schedule for implementation milestones for planning purposes. Those milestones would include: engineering to 100% level, bid documents, procurement, construction duration, phasing, mobilization, site preparation, earthwork, planting, site cleanup, and demobilization. Assumptions:Cost estimates will be based upon recent construction bids for similar habitat enhancementprojects.Deliverables:Verdantas will provide the 65% construction bid schedule and engineering cost estimateselectronically, in pdf format.Verdantas will provide a table outlining general construction plan and schedule, includingimplementation milestones, for each of the 10 sites electronically, in pdf format.Task 9 – Programmatic Basis of Design Report The Programmatic Basis of Design Report will document all work performed for the project with emphasis on project site selection, documentation of site constraints from stakeholder meetings, potential habitat uplift and planning level considerations. Deliverables:Draft and final Basis of Design Report electronically, in pdf format.Proposed Budget & ScheduleVerdantas proposes to perform these services on a time and materials basis. The estimated cost to perform the proposed scope of work is $495,958as shown by the attached budget estimate (based on 2025, 2026 and 2027 rates). Initial Alternatives Assessment will start August 2025 to be completed by April 30, 2026. Flood Impact assessment and report to be completed August 31, 2026. Final draft of the 65% Design Plans, 65% cost estimates and Basis of Design report to be completed by July 15, 2027. Deliverables and milestones schedule may be modified (in writing) by the Program Manager should additional funding be secured.
Verdantas.com
LAR Rearing Sites Programmatic Design Development - Scope of Work August 2025Referencescbec, 2020. Lower American River Salmonid Rearing Habitat Enhancement Project Identification and Prioritization Report. Prepared for the Sacramento Water Forum and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.cbec, 2024. Lower American River 2023 DEM Update: 2023 DEM Development Methods Summary. Prepared for the Sacramento Water Forum. cbec, 2025a. Lower American River 2023 2D Model Update: Ecological Flow Hydrodynamic Model Development Report. Prepared for the Sacramento Water Forum.cbec, 2025b. Lower American River 2023 2D Model Update: Flood Flow Hydrodynamic Model Development Report. Prepared for the Sacramento Water Forum.
ESTIMATED PROJECT BUDGET SUMMARYLower American River Rearing Sites Programmatic Design DevelopmentProposal # P000034506Task # Task Description Subtotal1Project Management 36,206.00$ 2Quality Management 9,409.50$3Stakeholder Outreach51,880.40$ 4Field Data Collection Reconnaissance38,480.00$ 5Design Alternatives Analysis 191,092.00$ 6Flood Impact Analysis 59,732.10$ 765% Design Drawings 46,194.40$ 865% Construction and Engineering Cost Estimates 18,425.00$ 9Programmatic Basis of Design Report 39,665.00$ Labor Fee 491,084.40$ Reimbursables 4,873.77$ Subconsultant(s) -$ Total Project Budget 495,958.17$
ESTIMATED LABOR FEESLower American River Rearing Sites Programmatic Design DevelopmentProposal # P000034506Unless expressly provided within the contract, rates are subject to increase annually on January 1 of each year.Task #Senior Scientific AdvisorPresidentDirectorSenior Ecoengineer IIISenior Ecohydrologist IIISenior Ecoengineer IISenior Ecohydrologist IISenior Ecoengineer ISenior Ecohydrologist IEcoengineer IIEcohydrologist IIEcologist IIEcoengineer IEcohydrologist ITechnician IIDesktop PublishingTechnician IClerical/Admin Subtotal LaborHours Per TaskSubtotal LaborFee Per Task2025$402 $340 $314 $283 $246 $219 $202 $176 $176 $158 $120 $1152026$419 $354 $327 $295 $256 $228 $211 $184 $184 $165 $125 $1202027$436 $369 $341 $307 $267 $238 $220 $192 $192 $172 $130 $125140 100140 36,206.00$ 215 1530 9,409.50$ 352 88 78218 51,880.40$ 431 31 60 60182 38,480.00$ 574 178 360 354966 191,092.00$ 612 73 210295 59,732.10$ 78 32 195235 46,194.40$ 88 8 26 4082 18,425.00$ 920 8 46 110184 39,665.00$ 0 0 260 23 8 574 0 0 1053 414 0 0 2332 491,084.40$
ESTIMATED REIMBURSABLE EXPENSESLower American River Rearing Sites Programmatic Design DevelopmentProposal # P000034506Item Description Item CostMileage 151 miles 0.700 /mile 105.70$ Parking trip 6.00 /trip -$ Lodging day(s) /day -$ Per Diem day(s) /day -$ Airfare day(s) /day -$ Field Truck (100 miles free daily) 7 day(s) 125.00 /day 875.00$ Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) - Quad Copter Drone day(s) 150.00 /day -$ ATV (Fuel at Cost) day(s) 200.00 /day -$ Inflatable Kayak day(s) 50.00 /day -$ 16ft Jet Boat w/ 40 HP Outboard (Fuel at Cost)4 day(s) 250.00 /day 1,000.00$ 21ft Jet Boat w/ 310 HP Inboard (Fuel at Cost)day(s) 350.00 /day -$ Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler w/ Trimaranday(s) 450.00 /day -$ Robotic Total Station day(s) 225.00 /day -$ Survey Grade RTK GPS (Receiver + Network Subscripti7 day(s) 350.00 /day 2,450.00$ Water Level Pressure Transducer month(s) 250.00 /month -$ Temperature month(s) 225.00 /month -$ Software Lease month(s) /month -$ Copying / Production -$ Courier / Delivery -$ Archiving / Documentation -$ Subtotal Reimbursables 4,430.70$ Administrative Charge (10%) 443.07$ Total Reimbursables 4,873.77$ Unit CostQuantity
FIELD EQUIPMENT RATESLower American River Rearing Sites Programmatic Design DevelopmentProposal # P000034506daily weekly monthlyUnit #Current And Discharge Equipment1 Wading Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter 100$ 400$ 1,000$ 2 Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler w/ Trimaran 450$ 2,250$ 6,750$ 3 ADCP Tethered Package (ADCP, RTK, Flying Fox, Laptop) 650$ 3,250$ 9,750$ 4 ADCP Boat Package (ACDP, RTK, Laptop, Boat) 825$ 4,125$ 12,375$ Data Loggers5 Water Level Pressure Transducer 25$ 125$ 250$ 6 Water Level / Temperature / Conductivity 25$ 125$ 250$ 7 Water Level Meter 30$ 70$ 180$ 8 Barometric Pressure 25$ 125$ 250$ 9 Rainfall 10$ 50$ 150$ 10 Temperature 15$ 75$ 225$ 11 Sonde Conductivity / Turbidity / Temperature / Depth 130$ 650$ 1,950$ 12 Handheld Turbidity / Depth 100$ 500$ 13 Handheld Conductivity / Temperature / Dissolved Oxygen Probe / pH / Barometer 90$ 450$ Survey Equipment44 Feno Spike (short) 80$ 45 Feno Spike (long) 150$ 14 Field Tablet or Laptop 25$ 125$ 15 Mapping Grade GPS Receiver 100$ 500$ 16 Survey Grade RTK GPS (Receiver + Network Subscription) 350$ 1,750$ 17 Survey Grade RTK GPS (Receiver + Base Setup) 400$ 2,000$ 46 Survey Grade RTK GPS (Receiver + Data Collector Only) 300$ 1,500$ 18 Manual Total Station 100$ 500$ 19 Robotic Total Station 225$ 1,125$ 20 Single Beam Echosounder 150$ 750$ 21 HyDrone RC Boat 250$ 1,250$ 22 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) - Quad Copter Drone 150$ 750$ 23 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) - Fixed Wing Drone 300$ 1,500$ 24 Single Beam Boat Package (Echo, RTK, Laptop, Boat) 650$ 3,250$ 25 Single Beam RC Package (Echo, RTK, Laptop, Hydrone) 650$ 3,250$ 26 Single Beam Kayak Package (Echo, RTK, Laptop, Kayak) 500$ 2,500$ 34 ATV Survey Package (RTK, ATV) 425$ 2,125$ Sedimentation Equipment28 Bedload Sampler 175$ 875$ 29 Bed Material Sampler 175$ 875$ 30 Suspended Sediment Sampler (less than 6 fps) 75$ 375$ 31 Suspended Sediment Sampler (less than 12 fps) 200$ 1,000$ 32 Bridge Crane 60$ 300$ 33 Auger (Brass Cores $5/each) 20$ 100$ Transportation27 ATV - Ranger (Fuel at Cost) 200$ 1,000$ 35 16ft Jet Boat w/ 40 HP Outboard (Fuel at Cost) 250$ 1,250$ 41 20ft Jet Boat w/ 175 HP Inboard (Fuel at Cost) 300$ 1,500$ 36 21ft Jet Boat w/ 310 HP Inboard (Fuel at Cost) 350$ 1,750$ 37 Inflatable Dinghy w/ 9.9 HP Outboard 100$ 500$ 38 Inflatable Kayak 50$ 250$ 39 Field Truck (IRS mileage rates apply; first 100 miles free for daily / weekly use) 125$ 625$ 1,875$ Unless expressly provided for within the contract, rates are subject to increase annually January first.For equipment rented outside cbec rental fleet, actual cost incurred will be charged.
Programmatic Evaluation and Design of Juvenile Salmonid Rearing Habitat Restoration Sites on the American River Work Scope October 2025 to August 2027 The work described in this scope will support the City of Sacramento in implementing a programmatic evaluation and produce restoration site designs for 30-acres of rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids on a 17-mile stretch of the lower American River in Sacramento, California. This reach of the American River has been impaired by historic river modifications for urban and industrial development, resulting in lowered streambed elevations, reduced fish spawning habitat, fish passage obstruction, and overall habitat degradation. The City plans to create optimal salmonid rearing habitat and restore natural riparian conditions by conducting a baseline assessment of the area and carrying out wetland delineations, to inform the development of a holistic 60% design package for 30 acres of high-quality habitat across 10 sites. Potential projects include creating a rearing and migratory corridor, lowering the floodplain, and establishing native plant species. The project design will take an ecosystem approach to restoring habitat across the river corridor, and plans will be driven by stakeholder and data-identified priorities developed in a 2020 Salmonid Rearing Concept Report. This project will be managed by the Water Forum, a group that includes local environmental nonprofits, city governmental entities, local businesses, large landowners and several water districts surrounding the watershed. Under this work scope, Cramer Fish Sciences biologists, senior scientists, and technical staff will conduct snorkel surveys to assess existing conditions for juvenile salmonids to document baseline juvenile salmonid habitat utilization in the Lower American River and identify sites currently used for rearing. Task 1: Juvenile snorkel surveys Snorkel surveys will be conducted approximately every three weeks from early February to late May (6 total surveys per year) to document baseline juvenile salmonid habitat utilization in the lower river and identify locations that are currently used for rearing. Two years of pre-project snorkel data will be collected in spring 2026 and 2027 to allow for documentation inter-annual variation in juvenile habitat use due to hydrological conditions (drought, flood) or population fluctuation. Snorkeling methods will be consistent with other studies (Edmundson et al 1968; Hankin and Reeves 1988; McCain 1992; Jackson 1992; Dolloff et al. 1996; Cavallo et al. 2003). Sample units will be snorkeled by two or three divers moving upstream adjacent to each other for margin habitats and downstream for mid-channel habitats. Fish will be observed, identified and counted by size group as divers proceeded up or down the sampling unit. Counts will be compiled for all divers and recorded as a total for each sample unit. Fish will be categorized by species and size classes (0 50 mm, 51 80 mm, 81 100 mm, 101 120 mm, 121 150 mm, 151 200 mm, 201 300 mm, and >301 mm). Depth and velocity will be measured for each fish observation. In addition, mesohabitat quality metrics, including river margins and cover habitat, will be assessed. River margins will be classified according to position in the channel (i.e., left, middle, or right). Cover habitat will be broken down into three qualitative classes (i.e., type, size, and quality). Cover types include large woody material, undercut bank, overhanging vegetation, flooded terrestrial plants, aquatic vegetation, and boulders. Aerial extent of the cover (m2) will also be estimated. Dominant and sub-dominant substrate types will be defined by organic matter/silt, sand, gravel, cobble, boulder, bedrock, and rip-rap. Depth, velocity, and mesohabitat characteristics will be collected for an additional set of random, unoccupied locations >1 m from fish observations to provide data on characteristics of habitat not used by juvenile salmon Multiple logistic regression (and/or a hurdle model) will be used to test how covariates impact the probability of habitat occupancy and the abundance of individuals occupying habitat. Results from snorkel surveys will provide critical insights into the extent to which juvenile salmon currently use the lower river for rearing habitat, prioritize potential restoration locations, and document habitat characteristics in the lower river that influence mesohabitat fish density. The data will be submitted into a public data portal and, depending upon construction timing and interim hydrologic conditions, this baseline data may be able to be later leveraged to support quantitative estimates of project success related to restoration of rearing and refuge habitat for juvenile salmon as well as inform adaptive management practices for future restoration projects on the LAR and other California Central Valley rivers. Deliverables Below, we list the deliverables associated with this scope of work and the date they will be completed or submitted to the Sacramento Water Forum. Deliverable Deadline(s) Snorkel surveys 2/1/2026 - 6/30/2026 2/1/2027 - 6/30/2027 Annual snorkel survey data summary 8/30/2026, 8/30/2027 GIS shapefiles with fish density and habitat data to support design alternatives analysis (to be submitted annually) 8/30/2026, 8/30/2027 Estimated Project Budget Summary Task # Task Description Subtotal 1 Juvenile snorkel surveys $ 258,311 2 Project management and reporting $ 26,614 3 Meetings and other tasks $ 4,576 Labor Fee $ 273,936 Reimbursables $ 15,565 Total Project Budget $ 289,501 Estimated Labor Fees Estimated Reimbursable Expenses Item Description Quantity Unit Cost Item Cost Mileage 3,208 miles $0.73/mile $ 2,365 16-ft Jet Boat 24 days $400/day $ 9,600 Field equipment 48 days $75/day $ 3,600 Reimbursables Total $ 15,565