Approve Reimbursement Agreement between the California Department of Water Resources and the County of Yolo for reimbursement of road inspection and related costs in relation to the Yolo Bypass Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Fish Passage Project. (No general fund impact) (Echiburu/Burton)

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is in the process of implementing the Yolo Bypass Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Fish Passage Project (“Project”) at the Fremont Weir, northeast of the City of Woodland.  The Project will create a better hydraulic connection between the Sacramento River and the Yolo Bypass, including an increased flow from the Sacramento River for fish to enter the Yolo Bypass through a gated notch on the east side of the Fremont Weir.
 
The Project will reduce migratory delays and loss of fish at the Fremont Weir and other structures in the Yolo Bypass.  The fish passage structure will allow fish that are trapped in the stilling basin (on the Yolo Bypass side of Fremont Weir) on the west side of Fremont Weir to move back into the Sacramento River after an overtopping event.
 
The Project is being constructed in the following phases:
 

Phase 1: Site Preparation Contract, which included tree clearing within the proposed headworks and excavated channel footprints in the bypass, as well as clearing and grubbing and levee fill placement for the proposed control building pad. Construction was completed in November 2021.
Phase 2: East Headworks Contract, which includes the intake channel, headworks, transport channel, pedestrian bridge, control building, and Adult Fish Passage Facility connection for power and communications. Construction is anticipated to occur between April 2022 to November 2023.
Phase 3: Supplemental Structure, Tule Channel, and Agricultural Road Crossing 1 Improvements Contract. Construction is anticipated to occur between April 2023 to November 2024.
 
This Reimbursement Agreement (Attachment A) will account for DWR’s use of the Yolo County maintained roads for construction hauling during all phases of the Project.  See Exhibit A within Attachment A for a Vicinity Map with the Project haul and access route highlighted.  The County roads on the route are not designated as heavy truck routes, and construction traffic for the project has been calculated, showing a significant reduction in the remaining pavement life and related road damage costs.

During the Project, County staff will perform inspections and related work in connection with DWR’s use of County Roads 118, 22 (Old River Road), 16, and 117. Per this Reimbursement Agreement, DWR has agreed to provide the County a $26,585.60 deposit toward these efforts.

To mitigate for DWR’s anticipated road damage and the reduction to the remaining pavement life of County roads during the Project, the Reimbursement Agreement outlines the following one-time payments to the County:

The funds provided through this Reimbursement Agreement (Attachment A) will be used to reimburse County staff time for inspection during Project construction and to fund a future road rehabilitation project for the County roads used by DWR’s contractors during the Project as a result of the significant reduction to the pavement life caused by Project construction traffic.