Long Term Management for the Southport Mitigation Area

The Southport Early Implementation Project represents one of the most significant flood protection and habitat restoration efforts in the Sacramento region. Completed in 2019, the project strengthened flood protection for the City of West Sacramento by constructing 1.8 miles of in-place levee improvements and 3.8 miles of setback levee along the west bank of the Sacramento River. This project not only enhanced public safety but also restored a floodplain corridor that reconnects the river to its hydrologic processes. Approximately 120 acres of riparian and wetland habitat were established and preserved within the floodplain area between the setback levee and the Sacramento River—known as the Southport Mitigation Area. This floodplain habitat provides critical ecological benefits, including improved water quality, enhanced wildlife habitat, and groundwater recharge, while supporting long-term mitigation goals for the greater West Sacramento Levee Improvement Project.

After six years of short-term maintenance and monitoring, the Southport Mitigation Area is now entering its long-term management phase. This phase will ensure the continued quality and functionality of these restored habitats, maintain compliance with regulatory performance standards, and implement adaptive strategies that respond to changing environmental conditions. The work performed under this contract will safeguard the investment made in flood protection and habitat restoration, ensuring these benefits endure for decades to come.