Yuba City Boat Ramp Sediment Removal Project

Yuba City Boat Ramp Sediment Removal Project

Sediment buildup in portions of the Feather River, exacerbated by the Oroville Dam Spillway incident of 2017, has created dangerous conditions for recreational users, made some boat launch facilities nearly unusable, and has hampered public safety as it has affected emergency vessel launching capabilities. The Project has received funding from the California Natural Resource Agency through Proposition 68 to remove sediment for safety and to restore recreation access to the Feather River. Restoring river access and fish passage conditions at boat ramps in Yuba and Sutter Counties will also have regional economic benefits, as guided and private fishing (heavily curtailed by river and launch conditions) brings commerce to local restaurants, hotels, and other businesses. The Proposed Project will improve access to the Feather River by removing sediment at the Yuba City boat ramp facility. The Project will use hydraulic or mechanical dredging to remove approximately 65,600 cubic yards (cy) of sediment and debris within approximately13.5 acres adjacent to and downstream of the Yuba City Boat Launch. The material removed from the Project site would require offsite disposal. Two dredging methods and three alternatives for disposal are being considered, which are discussed below. Two potential dredging methods are being evaluated for the sediment removal aspect of the Project (hydraulic and mechanical). Hydraulic mining would consist of a barge using suction to remove sediment from the river bottom and pumping the material to a location on the east or west side of the river, allowed to dewater, and then hauled by truck to a disposal site(s). Mechanical dredging would involve equipment such as an excavator with a bucket removing the sediment from shore and/or a barge, transporting the material to the dewatering area, then to the disposal site(s). Potential sediment disposal options include landfills, soil for farmlands, and/or placement in the City of Marysville’s closed northern wastewater ponds as fill material, located adjacent to the Yuba City location on the east side of the Feather River and north of the Yuba River. Soil sampling of the sediment to be removed is currently underway to assist in determining the most viable option. Brief descriptions of each disposal option are provided below.

Yuba City

Sutter

Northern California

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, North Central Region 2 (CDFW), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, California Department of State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways, California Department of Transportation, District 3 (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Natural Resources Agency, Department of Toxic Substances Control, Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), Central Valley Flood Protection Board, California State Lands Commission (SLC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Sacramento Region 5 (RWQCB)

California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), Central Valley Flood Protection Board, California State Lands Commission (SLC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Sacramento Region 5 (RWQCB)

Other