Horizontal Levee Pilot Project

  • Project typeSystem Improvements
  • Project value$4.6 million
Horizontal Levee Rendering

Project Overview

Located just outside the Regional Water Quality Control Plant in the Baylands, the Horizontal Levee will pilot a new type of levee to protect against floods and predicted sea level rise. It will be the first of its kind on the San Francisco Bay, and it will inform planning for future levees.

A horizontal levee is a nature-based solution that provides many benefits over traditional levees. Their unique designs have a wide gentle slope which helps a marsh adapt as sea level rises. This one will also use treated wastewater to restore a native habitat on its slope. The process will further filter treated wastewater. It will be studied by the City and its project partner, the San Francisco Estuary Partnership. What is learned will inform the design of future horizontal levees within Palo Alto and beyond.

This project received grant funding from the California Department of Water Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the California State Coastal Conservancy.

Learn more about the Horizontal Levee Pilot Project

Scope of Work

  • Construct the horizontal levee
  • Maintain the location for the construction of a traditional levee, if needed in future
  • Relocate the public trail
  • Design and install interpretive signs
  • Restore habitats that include uplands, riparian buffers, seasonal wet meadows, and perennial wet meadows
  • Plant and seed native landscaping
  • Install a new effluent pipe from the Regional Water Quality Control Plant to the underground treatment zone in the horizontal levee
  • Conduct observations and scientific studies to inform future horizontal levee projects, both before and after construction 

Public Impact

The bike lanes and public trail will be closed during construction with detour routes provided. The parking lot near the construction site may be limited at times.

Project Timeline

  • 2017 - Funding Awarded

    01/12/2017

    December - Funding awarded from a California Department of Water Resources, Integrated Regional Water Management Program

  • 2018 - Conceptual Design Completed

    01/08/2018

    August - Conceptual design completed 

    November - Presentation at Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting 

  • 2019 - Preliminary Design Report

    01/12/2019

    May - Funding awarded from the Environmental Protection Agency Climate Ready Estuaries Program 

    December - Preliminary Design Report completed (for original location) 

  • 2020 - New Preliminary Design Completed

    01/12/2020

    February - Presentation at Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting 

    March - Project included in Transforming Shorelines Collaborative 

    May - Funding awarded from California State Coastal Conservancy Proposition I 

    September - Project included in Palo Alto Sea Level Rise Project Updates public webinar 

    December - Preliminary Design Report completed (for new/current location) 

  • 2021 - Funding Awarded from EPA

    01/05/2021

    January - Project included in Engaging Youth and Diverse Communities in Climate Change Resiliency Workshop 

    May - Funding awarded from Environmental Protection Agency Water Quality Improvement Fund 

    November - Project included in Public Access and Habitat Enhancement public workshop 

  • 2022 - 60% Design Complete

    01/04/2022

    April - 60% Design completed 

    June - Project included in Palo Alto Sea Level Rise Activities presentation to the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority 

    July - Presentation at Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting 

    December - California Environmental Quality Act evaluation completed

  • 2023 - Final Design Complete

    01/03/2023

    February - Submitted applications to resource agencies for construction permits 

    March - Park Improvement Ordinance recommended unanimously by Parks and Recreation Commission 

  • 2024

    01/01/2024

    January - Park Improvement Ordinance adopted by City Council 

    March - Final Design Completed 

  • 2025 - 2026 - Construction

    01/01/2026

    Anticipated construction of horizontal levee

Project Documents

Location

2470 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA   View Map

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