PWA led a multi-disciplinary team of landscape architects, architects, civil and structural engineers to develop the Sausal Creek Daylighting project as an integral component of the new Town Center in Portola Valley, California. In addition to coordinating the project team PWA performed the hydrologic, hydraulic and geomorphic analyses leading to the design of the creek ‘daylighting’/restoration project. The project required successful coordination of the team members to support the Town’s vision for the project, define the basis-of-design and develop the restoration design plans, details and specifications.

The design of the restored (formerly culverted) creek is based on reestablishing geomorphic conditions that are the foundation of stable but dynamic ecosystem functions including flow conveyance and flood protection, aquatic and riparian habitat values and sediment transport. The daylighting project includes 350 linear feet channel reconstruction, in-stream structures such as large woody debris, boulder clusters and riffle-pools and biotechnical bank stabilization. Areas adjacent to the stream are designed to flood during high flow events thereby providing detention storage on the site, which in turn reduce peak flow rates downstream of the site. A reduction in peak flow rates may assist with meeting a secondary project objective to reduce flood hazards and erosion potential in areas downstream. Biotechnical applications were developed in coordination with planting plans to stabilize and revegetate creek banks.

In addition to final design documents (plans, specifications and cost estimates), PWA’s services include project management and coordination of the design team, the Town of Portola Valley and regulatory agency staff for permitting. The creek daylighting project was constructed in the fall of 2008 in coordination with the construction Town Center project.