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Estuarine Wetland & Coastal Lagoon Restoration

Aeration, Water Circulation, Drainage Systems, Dredged Disposal, and Flow Diversion

Listed below are many of the projects we’ve completed for our clients over the years. We’ve chosen to focus and expand on several key examples which are highlighted in blue. Clicking on those projects allows you to view in-depth what services NCI provided as well as details on the project itself.

Yosemite Slough Wetlands Restoration

San Francisco, CA

The Yosemite Slough Wetlands Restoration is currently an on-going project. Yosemite Slough is part of the Candlestick Point State Park Recreational Area. The purpose of the project is to expand wetlands in the area, provide public access, and improve wildlife habitats. A previous phase of the project involved developing alternatives, estimating construction costs, and preparing a feasibility report. NCI is responsible for hydrodynamic analysis, surveying, preparing grading plans, designing public paths, preparing construction cost estimates, and preparing contract documents.


Design will consider, and dispose of as necessary, contaminated sediments in the area. The modeling study was part of the wetland restoration project and includes both the hydrodynamic simulation and sediment transport simulation for the Yosemite Canal and South Basin. The RMA2 model within the Surface-Water Modeling System (SMS) was used for the hydrodynamic simulation and the SED2D model was applied for the sediment transport simulation.



Yosemite Slough Wetlands Restoration Yosemite Slough Wetlands Restoration

Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project

Novato, CA

NCI is the prime A/E contractor for a series of jobs for the San Francisco District Corps of Engineers on the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project. This is a project to convert over 500 acres of a decommissioned army airfield to a wetland restoration area using dredged spoil material. The area will consist of seasonal and tidal wetlands. NCI has worked, or is working on 4 separate deliver orders under 2 separate IDIQ contracts.


These consist of:


1. Topographic mapping of the site using aerial photography, bathymetric surveys and land surveying to be used for planning, design and preparation of contract documents for design of all project features.

2. Land surveying, geotechnical review, design, cost estimating and preparation of contract documents for the Bulge Levee and the Pacheco Pond Levee. These levees perform containment for a portion of the seasonal wetland. Design features included a ramp over the levee for construction and future access, tying into the existing Pacheco Pond Levee, using onsite borrow material, drainage, a road base, and demolition of existing facilities. MCACES was used to prepare the cost estimate. SPECSINTACT was used to develop the specifications. A SWPPP was prepared for the project.

3. Additional design and preparation of contract documents for the N-1 Levee and Containment Berm to complete the perimeter of the seasonal wetland. Similar design services were provided for the Bulge Levee. Critical design issues included minimizing potential impact to an adjacent forced main sanitary sewer line. Both the Bulge Levee and N-1 Levee delivery orders were completed on an expedited schedule.

4. Bathymetric surveying and numerical modeling to evaluate the effectiveness of and impacts from the wetland restoration project. This involved numerical simulations of hydrodynamics and sedimentation in the project area that includes both Novato Creek and the to-be-restored wetlands.


NCI is currently under contract with the Corps of Engineers (San Francisco District) to perform on-call design services for navigation and water resources projects. The largest design project to date is for the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project, which will be used as an upland dredged material disposal site until the restoration goals are achieved. This project involved the mapping (aerial topography, land surveying, and hydrographic surveying) of the site and surrounding areas and the detailed design and preparation of construction documents for two levees (3,240 feet long) to contain pumped-in dredged material. The owner is the California Coastal Conservancy, however the work was performed under contract to the San Francisco District Corps of Engineers. The work included evaluating potential onsite borrow areas, demolition of a hydraulic siphon system, design of a culvert through the levee for storm water flow, design of an access ramp over the levee suitable for construction equipment, connection to an existing levee, design of the levee cross-section to maintain clearance to the property line for a maintenance road and to provide a varying slope for aesthetics, and design of an aggregate base road surface. Quantity computations were performed, a SWPPP was prepared, SPECSINTACT was used to prepare contract specifications, and MCACES was used to prepare the engineer’s cost estimate. The design project was completed under an expedited time schedule.



Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project

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.



San Joaquin Marsh Enhancement, Phases I and II San Joaquin Marsh Enhancement, Phases I and II
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