Written by Priscilla Liang, Environmental Planner
The Basso/La Grange Reach Floodplain and Spawning Habitat Restoration Project is finishing up construction of Phase 1, having secured approvals from multiple federal, state, and local agencies.
Permits are critical as they ensure compliance with regulatory standards designed to protect water quality and biological resources. They provide a framework for evaluating potential environmental impacts and for establishing guidelines and requirements that projects must follow to minimize harm to the ecosystem.
The project’s main permit approvals include a 401 Water Quality Certification from the Regional Water Quality Control Board, a Regional General Permit from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and a Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). These permits are in addition to multiple local permits as well as securing programmatic biological opinions from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).
Photo Credit Mark Tompkins/FlowWest. The FlowWest team at the first day of construction on the Tuolumne River for the Basso/La Grange Spawning Habitat and Floodplain Restoration Project.
Throughout the process, the team worked closely with agencies to ensure they received clarification and sufficient information for their reviews, vital for timely approval. This close coordination continued into the current construction phase as the team worked collaboratively with agencies to address permit compliance challenges.
From initial interagency meetings to ongoing construction, FlowWest has worked closely with agencies to navigate challenges and ensure all permit requirements are met. With these permits in place, the project continues to advance, supporting the restoration of habitat for California native fish and wildlife, including Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss).
