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December, 2009 -
Bob Battalio interviewed about Pacifica cliff erosion | ||
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July, 2009 -
Terrain Article Features PWA Coastal Team Staff | ||
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September, 2008 -
SF Chronicle Shines Some Light on Stream "Daylighting" | ||
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November, 2007 -
SF Bay Guardian Green City: The Bay-Delta Connection | ||
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January, 2007 -
Bay Nature Magazine Focuses on the Napa River | ||
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September, 2006 -
Expert Panel Recommends Moving Mississippi Mouth | ||
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September, 2005 -
Phil Williams to Receive Award Presented by The Bay Institute | ||
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June, 2005 -
PWA Awarded Ballona Wetland Restoration Project | ||
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PWA Celebrates Groundbreaking of South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project's Pond A8
In addition to leading the planning and design consulting services for the SBSP Restoration Project, PWA is lead designer for the Pond A8 restoration, managing a multi-disciplinary team of wetland scientists, engineers, technical modelers and biologists. Pond A8 is a key step in the effort to restore 15,100 acres of former salt-evaporation ponds back to tidal marshes for fish, birds and other wildlife. Crews will build a 40-foot long concrete notch in the earthen levee along pond A8, a former industrial salt-evaporation pond, and then build eight large metal gates in it. Raising the gates will allow tidal waters to flow into the Guadalupe River near Alviso's Gold Street Bridge. The benefits of the concrete notch are threefold: it will increase tidal action into the river, widening and deepening the channel, which will help restore the pond to more natural historic conditions; the introduction of saltier water will slow and/or kill the growth of invasive marsh vegetation; and third, scientists will be able to more easily assess how much mercury--which has washed down the Guadalupe River into the Bay from the New Almaden Quicksilver Mines in South San Jose for 160 years--is buried in the mud of the river and salt pond bottoms, how it behaves chemically when stirred up and how it affects fish, birds and insects. Of the 15,100 acre restoration area, the project has completed restoration of 800 acres, has 1600 acres in construction, and 1500 acres in final design. PWA has completed or is currently working on design for four of the Phase 1 projects totaling 2600 acres. Links to news coverage: | ||
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Dr. Stephen Crooks, PWA's Director of Climate Change Services, to serve as co-PI in NCEAS workshops
Dr. Stephen Crooks, PWA’s Director of Climate Change Services, will serve as a co-Principal Investigator for the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) Workshop on Tidal Wetland Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Model. Dr. Crooks with co- Principle Investigators John Calloway (University of San Francisco), Pat Megonigal (Smithsonian Environmental Research Center) and Abe Doherty (California State Coastal Conservancy) will gather a team of experts in wetland processes and modeling to “synthesize the current understanding of carbon dynamics in tidal wetlands and develop a model to assess the potential for carbon storage. The results of this model will play a significant role in evaluating the feasibility of tidal wetland restoration projects as a new category of carbon offset projects. The eligibility of wetland restoration projects for carbon offsets will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a significant new funding source for habitat restoration that will allow vulnerable coastal areas to adapt to impacts of future climate change." The co-investigators will meet March 2010, Autumn 2010 and Spring 2011 at the NCEAS facilities in Santa Barbara. The outcome of the analysis will be a publicly available carbon sequestration model. Link to NCEAS website | ||
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Bob Battalio interviewed about Pacifica cliff erosion
Link to videos on KTVU website: [ Dec. 21 | Dec. 29 ] | ||
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Dr. Stephen Crooks, PWA's Director of Climate Change Services, to Chair National Blue Ribbon Panel to Secure Coastal Wetlands Role in Fighting Greenhouse Gases
Composed of leaders in science, environmental engineering, public policy, and carbon offset investing, the Panel will develop guidance for: 1) measuring greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration in tidal wetland habitats; 2) monitoring and verifying carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas flux in these habitats; and 3) establishing eligibility and performance standards for wetland-based GHG offset projects. These methodologies are vital components for the creation of a credible and high-quality greenhouse gas offsets protocol that will attract public and private investment in wetlands restoration activities.
Link to article on Restore America's Estuaries
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PWA Announces Publication of "Quantifying activated floodplains on a lowland regulated river: its application to floodplain restoration in the Sacramento Valley"
This use of hydrologic regime to identify quantities of “activated” floodplain provides a powerful approach to evaluating ecological aspects of floodplain restoration opportunities under current or alternative flow scenarios, a central concern of current flood planning efforts.
Link to article on [ PWA website | web ] | ||
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Whidbey News Times Article on Salmon and Habitat Benefits of PWA's Crescent Bay Marsh Restoration Project
Excerpt from Whidbey News Times, "Salmon benefit as saltwater reclaims old Dutch farmland":
"About 15 years ago, the Navy and Island County officials embarked on a wetland habitat restoration project that began with modifications to the early farmer’s tide gate. The project laid dormant until 1999 when the Puget Sound chinook salmon made the threatened species list.
The listing acted as a wake up call, causing Island County officials to identify the Crescent Harbor salt marsh as one of its highest ranking restoration opportunities. County officials worked with the Navy, the University of Washington’s Wetland Ecosystem Team and hydrologic consultants Philip Williams and Associates, Ltd., to prepare a feasibility study and create a basic project design. Link to article from Whidbey News Times | ||
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"A Rising Tide" Features PWA Coastal Staff Discussing Sea Level Rise Impacts
[Battalio] and Revell are part of a team of engineers and scientists from Philip Williams & Associates, a San Francisco environmental hydrology firm that recently looked at the potential effects of rising sea level on coastal erosion in California. Their work is part of a larger report produced by the Pacific Institute examining the physical and economic effects of sea-level rise on the state, which itself was one of almost forty produced for a biennial assessment by California’s Climate Action Team. Download a PDF of the article (PDF download will open a new window) | ||
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California Coastal Erosion Response To Sea Level Rise- Analysis And Mapping Report Published
"There are large sections of the Pacific coast not vulnerable to flooding , but highly susceptible to erosion. “Erosion is a natural process, but in areas where the coastal geology erodes easily, higher sea levels are likely to accelerate shoreline erosion due to increased wave attack,” said Dr. David Revell, senior associate at Philip Williams & Associates, Ltd. (PWA).
“Coastal erosion is a serious problem for California due to the inherent conflict between a migrating shore and fixed property and infrastructure. Caught in the middle are our natural shores, including beaches, wetlands, and parks, where significant ecologic and recreational resources are at great risk,” said Bob Battalio, principal of PWA. Download a PDF of the Coastal Erosion Report- 3MB (PDF download will open a new window) Read the Pacific Institute Press Release (March 11, 2009) | ||
The First Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan for California Published
Over the next 50 years, the coastal dunes of southern Monterey Bay between the Salinas River
mouth and Wharf II in Monterey are predicted to erode at rates between 1.0 and 6.0 ft/year. Over
this planning time frame, eight oceanfront facilities are at high risk due to this erosion, and will
require mitigation measures to be implemented to prevent their loss. Download a PDF of the Coastal RSM Plan - 25MB (PDF download will open a new window for this) Read the PWA Southern Monterey Bay Regional Sediment Management Plan Project Sheet | ||
Sausal Creek "Daylighting" Key to Greening Portola Valley Town Center
The Sausal Creek daylighting (moving a stream above ground) has been four years in the mulling and the making. The project is being led by environmental hydrologist Jorgen Blomberg, 39, a partner in the San Francisco firm Philip Williams & Associates, which specializes in ecosystem restoration. Download a PDF of the Article Read a Copy of the Article Read the Original SF Chronicle Article |
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Bay Nature Magazine Presents: The Saved and the Dammed ~ Following the Course of Pilarcitos Creek
...a group of players has come together in an effort to better manage the length of Pilarcitos Creek, from the headwaters to the mouth at Half Moon Bay State Beach. The Pilarcitos Integrated Watershed Management Plan, slated for release later this summer, aims to "promote balanced solutions to effectively manage the Pilarcitos Creek watershed that satisfy environmental, public health, domestic water supply, and economic interests." The coalition creating the plan includes farmers and municipal water agencies that use the water, environmental groups looking to protect habitat and species, and other local interests.
Read the Original Bay Nature Article Read a Copy of the Article Download a PDF of the Article Download the PDF of the Integrated Watershed Management Plan |
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SF Chronicle Sheds Some Light on Stream "Daylighting"
About 25 years ago, a short stretch of Strawberry Creek in West Berkeley was daylighted - meaning taken out of an underground concrete culvert and brought to the surface in a streambed.
As environmental hydrologist Jorgen Blomberg puts it, "Water flowing through a pipe has limited ecological value." Limited educational and recreational value, too. ... Download a PDF of the Article Read a Copy of the Article Read the Original SF Chronicle Article |
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Bear River Levee Setback Project Wins ASCE Outstanding Engineering Project Award
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Marin Independent Journal: Front Page Feature of the Hamilton Airfield Wetlands Restoration Project
In largest-ever West Coast restoration, 7 million cubic yards of sand and soil are being moved 20 miles - by barge and pipeline - from Oakland to Hamilton... The black ooze pouring out the end of a seven-mile-long pipe onto the old Hamilton Airfield runway is beginning to bring new life to marshland that was diked and dried more than a century ago.
“Not very pretty, is it?” said Eric Jolliffe, environmental planner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as he watched the chocolate syrup-like material flow into a growing pool on a foggy morning. “But that’s good stuff.” Download a PDF of the Article [if video server doesn't display the Hamilton video, enter Hamilton Wetlands in Search box] Read the Original MIJ Article Read a Copy of the Article[if video server doesn't display the Hamilton video, enter Hamilton Wetlands in Search box] |
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SF Bay Guardian Green City: The Bay-Delta Connection
Until recently, politicians and the public tended to view the problems facing the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta levees as separate from the problems facing the San Francisco Bay. But now that human-made distinction is beginning to blur as scientists predict that rising sea levels and levee failures could have profound consequences for both ecosystems.
As wetlands scientist Philip Williams explained at the State of the Estuary Conference in Oakland last month, if the levees fail... Read a Copy of the Article Read the Original SF Bay Guardian Article | ||
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Bay Nature Magazine Talks to PWA's Andy Collison about Napa River Restoration
In our January-March 2007 feature, "Valley of Water and Wine," we highlight the innovative work of landowners along the Napa River who are initiating restoration projects on the upper reaches of the river. The Rutherford Dust Society, a group of mid-valley growers, is poised to start moving dirt this year to enhance salmon and steelhead habitat on 4.5 miles of the river. Read a Copy of the Bay Nature Web Special Article featuring PWA's Andy Collison Download a PDF of the Bay Nature Web Special Article featuring PWA's Andy Collison Download or View the PDF Project Sheet for the Napa River Restoration Conceptual Design, Rutherford | ||
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PWA Celebrates Petaluma Marsh Breach with Marin Audubon Society
Ducks now paddle where cattle once trod, thanks to the Bay Area's latest wetland restoration.
The new marsh is just north of Novato near the Redwood Sanitary Landfill on San Antonio Creek, a tributary of the Petaluma River. Dikes surrounding the former pasture were breached earlier this month. Read a Copy of the S.F. Chronicle Article Download a PDF of the S.F. Chronicle Article Watch the Video Article on ABC7News Site | ||
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Expert Panel Recommends Moving Mississippi [River] Mouth
Scientists have long said the only way to restore Louisiana’s vanishing wetlands is to undo the elaborate levee system that controls the Mississippi River, not with the small projects that have been tried here and there, but with a massive diversion that would send the muddy river flooding wholesale into the state’s sediment-starved marshes. Read a Copy of the Article Read the Original New York Times Article | ||
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September, 2005 - Phil Williams to Receive the Carla Bard Bay Education Award
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June, 2005 - PWA Awarded Ballona Wetland Restoration Project
The Ballona Creek watershed is largely urbanized and home to more than 1.5 million people. Urbanization of the watershed has significantly impacted the hydrology and water quality of Ballona Creek and the Ballona Wetlands. Located at the mouth of Ballona Creek, the wetlands continue to provide habitat for some threatened and endangered species. Enhancement of this property is one of the largest and best remaining opportunities to restore coastal wetland habitat in southern California. Restoration planning will be conducted within the landscape and watershed context, with attention paid to adjacent and ecologically related resources. The project goals are:
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Bob Battalio, PWA Principal and Senior Coastal Engineer, talks with KTVU reporter John Fowler about the environmental impacts and implications of the cliff erosion issues in Pacifica, CA.
Stephen Crooks, Ph.D., PWA’s Director of Climate Change Services, will chair Restore America’s Estuaries’ (RAE) new National Blue Ribbon panel to explore and secure the role coastal wetlands play in sequestering greenhouse gases (GHG). The Panel's ultimate goal is to develop a national greenhouse gas offset protocol for wetland restoration projects. Marine and tidal wetland soils remove vast amounts of carbon dioxide, one of the most significant greenhouse gases, from the atmosphere. 
PWA is pleased to announce the publication of "Quantifying activated floodplains on a lowland regulated river: its application to floodplain restoration in the Sacramento Valley" in the San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science Journal. The paper was authored by PWA staff together with Dr. Peter Moyle and Jeffrey Opperman from the University of California at Davis and The Nature Conservancy. The paper describes a process and methodology for quantifying the extent of frequently-activated floodplains: a type of historically prevalent, but now relatively rare, ecologically-valuable floodplains in the Sacramento lowland river system. The analysis uses a specific hydrologic metric to indicate a “Floodplain Activation Flow” (FAF), which is the smallest flood pulse event that initiates substantial beneficial ecological processes when associated with floodplain inundation. 
PWA, in coordination with the University of Washington Wetland Ecosystem Team (WET), developed and analyzed a suite of alternatives aimed at restoring tidal circulation, increasing site drainage and enhancing salmon rearing habitat within the Crescent Bay Marsh, formerly one of the largest barrier salt marshes within Whidbey Island, Puget Sound. Over the past century, the marsh had been diked and ditched for agricultural use and its tidal channel inlet was replaced with a gated culvert, causing it to subside several feet below natural marsh elevations and significantly restrict salmon access. PWA modeled tidal circulation for each restoration alternative to assess flood hazards to existing site infrastructure and predicted restored habitat acreages. The team also designed the excavation of a stable tidal channel network within the marsh based on empirical data for the Puget Sound.
The Summer 2009 “Sea Change” issue of Terrain magazine features Bob Battalio, a PWA Principal and Senior Coastal Engineer, and David Revell, PWA Senior Associate and Coastal Geomorphologist. They discuss the effects of sea level rise on coastal flooding and erosion in Pacifica and the Bay Area, as well as the implications of the Pacific Institute’s recently published draft report, “The Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on the California Coast.” 
Sea level rise will not only flood vulnerable low lying areas but also increase the erosion along the coast of California. PWA scientists and engineers provided analysis and mapping of future flood and erosion hazards along approximately 900 miles of the California Coast. This work funded by the Ocean Protection Council was used by the Pacific Institute as the technical basis for their vulnerability assessment – 
PWA was the lead consultant for the first formally adopted Coastal Regional Sediment Management (RSM) Plan in California, as part of the implementation of the statewide Sediment Master Plan being developed by the 
Sausal Creek is an ephemeral or seasonal stream that meanders through Portola Valley, open except for a 650’ culverted portion that runs under the entire length of the Portola Valley Town Center property. Opening a portion of Sausal Creek represents both a stewardship opportunity and a critical step in improved watershed health.
The Sausal Creek daylighting is being led by environmental hydrologist Jorgen Blomberg, a key member of PWA's Design Team.
PWA is leading the development of the Pilarcitos Integrated Watershed Management Plan that identifies potential projects to restore the Pilarcitos watershed and recover steelhead trout and other native species. Bay Nature profiled the Pilarcitos Creek Restoration Workgroup, a diverse group of stakeholders representing local, state and federal agencies as well as local advocacy groups led by PWA in their summer 2008 issue.
PWA is currently providing technical input and design to support the planning and evaluation of the Strawberry Creek Daylighting project in downtown Berkeley. In addition the article references Lincoln Creek in Auburn, California. PWA led the daylighting design for the Lincoln Creek project which was completed last fall.
The Sacramento District of the American Society for Civil Engineers gave their prestigious “Outstanding Engineering Project Award” to the recently constructed Bear River Levee Setback. The project involved setting back a mile of levee at the confluence of the Bear and Feather Rivers to improve levee stability and restore the floodplain (formerly cultivated for orchards) back to natural habitat. The restored setback area will support endangered species including Chinook salmon, Swainson’s Hawk and Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle. Levee setbacks are increasingly being looked at as a ‘win - win’ approach to strengthening California’s aging flood control levees while restoring natural floodplain area, 90% of which has been lost in the last 100 years.
PWA studied the geomorphic conditions of the site to ensure that the restoration had a sound physical basis that would support the ecological goals. One particular challenge was the legacy of 19th century gold mining in the Bear River watershed, which had buried much of the channel and floodplain under hydraulic mining sediment, creating low points that would strand fish during floods. We developed a sophisticated 2D sediment transport model to look at erosion and deposition patterns on the newly restored floodplain and along the levees. We also applied recent CALFED research carried out by PWA’s Betty Andrews and UC Davis’s Professor Peter Moyle on fish utilization of floodplains (known as the Floodplain Activation Flow, or FAF, concept). This research provided a way of evaluating which parts of the restored floodplain would most effectively build up the food chains needed to feed salmon, which use flooded areas to fatten up before migrating out to sea. Based on a study of FAF conditions we designed a special fish swale to make sure that feeding Chinook salmon were not stranded on the floodplain when waters recede after spring floods.
Sediments are flowing at the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project! Once an Army airfield built over 900 acres of subsided Baylands, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the California Coastal Conservancy are restoring this area back to sustainable mosaic of habitat for coastal wildlife. With sediments being a precious resource in San Francisco Bay the Hamilton Project is making good use of clean material from the Port of Oakland Deepening Project; sediment once destined for the deep ocean disposal. PWA is proud to have been involved in this milestone beneficial-use and wetlands restoration project from the early days of feasibility analysis through to recent detailed final design.
Bay Nature, the prestigious award-winning magazine that dazzles the eye, included a Web Extra article which gave PWA's Andy Collison a chance to explain some complex computer models of the river channel and its flood plain. PWA is pleased that this high-profile project on the Napa River for the Rutherford Dust Restoration Team is included in Bay Nature's coverage of the river, the watershed and the valley. "(The) Napa River Restoration Project is a study in landowner responsibility. In 2002, faced with an impaired river and watershed in their backyard, the Rutherford Dust Society (RDS) voted unanimously to initiate a plan to manage and restore the four-mile reach of the Napa River through the appellation. Rather than wait for government funding, RDS created the RDRT subcommittee and looked to the region's landowners to fund the initial phase of the project." (from the 
On September 21 at the Corinthian Club in Tiburon, 
Philip Williams & Associates has been selected to lead the Ballona Wetland Restoration project in Southern California. Under contract to the Coastal Conservancy, PWA will also work with the Department of Fish and Game and the State Lands Commission to define alternatives, conduct a feasibility analysis and develop a conceptual restoration plan for the enhancement of 600-acres of the Ballona Wetlands in Los Angeles County. The plan will enhance wetland resources, preserve open space and create managed public access compatible with the natural resources of the site.
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