Lookout Slough Pay for Performance
Location
Solano County, CA
Resource
Wetland, Species
Solution
Pay for Performance
Glen Williams
Western Region Projects Director
Stephanie Freed
Assistant Director of Operations
LOOKOUT SLOUGH is one of the largest water projects in the world that provides the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) with high-quality Delta smelt habitat to help the state meet the requirements of an Endangered Species Act biological opinion. EIP provided DWR with a large-scale, full-delivery restoration solution through the innovative Pay for Performance model. Under this model, DWR contracted with EIP to deliver specific milestones for a fixed price. EIP’s responsibilities under the contract with DWR include land identification, land acquisition, restoration design, permitting, construction, posting financial assurances, and monitoring through final approval of as-built results.
Under the biological opinion, the State of California is required to offset impacts to listed species, including Delta smelt, that result from the operation of the State Water Project (SWP) in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The SWP is one of the largest public water and power utilities in the world, providing water for more than 27 million people.
Lookout Slough also expands conveyance for the Yolo Bypass by creating 40,000 acre-feet of storage to prevent dangerous flooding and protect neighboring communities and infrastructure. EIP’s restoration of tidally influenced wetlands provides the Delta smelt with habitat in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and benefits many other species of concern.
“More intense droughts and floods require these solutions,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth, at the levee breaching event held at the project in October 2024.
At 3,400 acres, Lookout Slough is the largest tidal wetland restoration project in the Delta, according to the Department of Water Resources. After breaking ground in June 2022, construction included building a 25-foot-tall setback levee to help provide flood protection with allowances for future sea level rise. It was the first of nine planned breaches at the site. Once complete, the public may access the new tidal channels for wildlife viewing, fishing, and hunting via a ramp for non-motorized boats at the northern most breach.
DWR describes Lookout Slough
California Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth speaks to the benefits of partnering with EIP.
Our Partners
With a breadth of knowledge and deep understanding of the local ecology, WRA Inc. is an environmental consulting company specializing in biological assessments, entitlement, mitigation, and environmental restoration design. WRA was integral to helping EIP navigate complex environmental permitting processes and their ecological expertise informed the restoration design at Lookout Slough.
Environmental Science Associates is an important partner with EIP in our efforts at Lookout Slough. ESA’s talented team worked with us to design, entitle, and restore important species and wetlands that positively impact California’s ecological health for the long term. ESA provided expertise in hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, wind-wave and erosion dynamics, and guided the completion of EIP’s California’s Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) permit processes. ESA’s support helped EIP be cost-effective on this multifaceted project.