Interim Bench Excavation
Bench excavation refers to the excavation of excess sediment from select locations along the upper terrace benches inside the Pajaro River and Salsipuedes and Corralitos Creek levees. This process improves the flood carrying capacity of the levee system and helps maintain a shaded low-flow channel for critical fish passage. Bench excavation will eventually become self-maintaining and will help the river regain its natural ability to move sediment through the river channel system by natural geomorphic processes, as it did originally. This design feature was developed by the APV Stream Team.
The State of California recently awarded approximately $6 million to the local sponsor counties to implement bench excavation within the existing levees as an interim measure until the levee reconstruction project is finalized and implemented.
