San Joaquin Marsh Enhancement, Phases I and II
Irvine, CA
San Joaquin Marsh is a fresh water marsh that is managed as part of the University of California Natural Reserve System. The purpose of the Phase I Enhancement was to provide a reliable water source to a series of managed ponds to promote native marsh habitat. Noble Consultants was responsible for the planning; permitting; investigation; surveying; design; cost estimation; and preparation of plans, specifications, and contract documents for improving approximately 40 acres of historic wetland. Design services included civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, and landscape architecture. Construction oversight was also provided. The California State Coastal Conservancy funded this work. The project components included removing invasive plant species; grading twelve ponds to provide a setting for a range of native plant species; improving existing internal levees; constructing a pump station and a pipeline system to provide water to all of the ponds; installing water control structures; and planting native species.
Phase 2 of the San Joaquin Marsh Enhancement Project involved recreating the historic hydrology of the marsh by improving the infrastructure for routing and delivering water throughout the area adjacent to the managed ponds that were enhanced in Phase I. Noble Consultants was the prime consultant responsible for the project, under contract with the University of California, Irvine for Phase II while for Phase I work Noble Consultants was under contract to the California State Coastal Conservancy. Work for this phase involved surveying, planning, permitting, design, and preparation of contract documents. The design services included civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering, and wetlands design. Project components included excavation to provide channelization for water distribution; excavation to create a muted fresh water marsh connection to the creek; construction of a pipeline through a flood control levee; construction of a pipeline from an existing well to supplement creek water; and improving existing levees.