Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Muir Woods Salmon Habitat Enhancement and Bridge Replacement Project

The National Park Service (NPS) is pleased to announce the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Muir Woods Salmon Habitat Enhancement and Bridge Replacement Project. The Draft EA was open for a 45-day public review period from April 3, 2017 to May 18, 2017. The Draft EA was updated and finalized as a result of public substantive comments received. The Final EA includes, but is not limited to the following updates and revisions:

• A project goal was added to reconnect the floodplain, where feasible;

• Several measurable objectives were added to increase sediment retention, increase the frequency of large and small wood, decrease high flow velocities, and increase pool frequency;

• One segment of riprap originally proposed for removal will remain in place, which would reduce the total percentage of riprap removal in Muir Woods to 48% of all existing riprap;

• Several woody debris structures, sometimes referred to as "beaver dam analogues," were added to conceptual designs to help trap sediment in the channel and increase complexity;

• Instead of off-hauling and stockpiling riprap after it is removed from channel banks, the rocks will be buried in the channel at five specific locations. They will be buried with a minimum of 3 feet of native bed material over them; and

• Staging for Phase 1 of the creek restoration will still be at Alice Eastwood Campground, but traffic to and from that road will be reduced since riprap will not be off-hauled in trucks.

The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was signed by National Park Service Pacific West Regional Director Stan Austin on August 7, 2018.The Final EA, FONSI, and the Determination of Non-Impairment completes the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance process for this important project. Each of these documents may be downloaded at the Documents List link to the left. Phase 1 of construction is expected to begin in August, 2019.

Document Content:

Final Salmon Habitat Enhancement and Bridge Replacement Project at Muir Woods EA.pdf   (38.9 MB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.