County of Sierra │ Winter Storm Damage Repairs

Sierra County experienced severe winter storms in January of 2017. The winter storms resulted in road slope and embankment failures, landslides, culvert failures, severe erosion, and damage to a low water crossing. The County of Sierra Department of Transportation requested studies and permitting for 11 sites damaged by the storms.  

NCE conducted agency database searches for the 11 sites and the results indicated the potential for special status species and cultural resources to occur at or adjacent to the sites. Due to this, NCE conducted biological, aquatic, and cultural resource field surveys and prepared the associated technical reports. NCE’s field work determined that only three of the 11 sites required the preparation and submittal of federal and state permit applications. Mitigation and repairs were designed to avoid or minimize impacts to biological, aquatic, and cultural resources. Due to this, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife issued permits for construction.  

To overcome the challenge of documenting and tracking resource considerations, impacts, mitigation measures, and permits for each site, NCE developed a regulatory matrix including technical studies, mitigation measures, and permit applications and conditions. The matrix has provided NCE and the County with an efficient means of tracking compliance requirements in real time throughout the development and delivery of the project.