SULPHER CREEK ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PROJECT

Laguna Niguel, Ca

This project was a design build aquatic restoration of a 2,000 ft. segment of Sulphur Creek in the City of Laguna Niguel, Orange County, California. Stronghold worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as the lead Federal agency and the City of Laguna Niguel as the local sponsor to design and build the project.

The project restored degraded habitat and floodplain function by project activities such as grading, excavation, removal of concrete liners and removal of riprap. Exotic vegetation was removed, recycled and replaced with native vegetation up to a 100 ft. stream buffer area surrounding the creek. Native vegetation habitat types, including marsh, riparian, alkali floodplain, transitional, and upland were restored. In addition, an existing concrete dip crossing connecting Sulphur and Crown Valley Park tributaries was replaced with an at-grade, grade-control structure, natural surfacing, and footbridge, thereby establishing a more natural connection between these two tributaries. This majority of the project was completed with SEI workforce and equipment. Native planting was performed by other companies.