Arastradero Creek Restoration and Pipeline Relocation

In March 2023, the City of Palo Alto identified an exposed eight-inch steel gas pipeline in Arastradero Creek within the Pearson-Arastradero Preserve, prompting an emergency response under a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit to install temporary cobbles and boulder revetments to prevent pipeline damage from future erosion. That temporary measure has since triggered regulatory requirements from the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, which mandates the removal of all temporary fill and restoration of a six-foot headcut that formed in the creek bed. The current project aims to fully comply with these conditions by permanently relocating the gas, water, and wastewater utilities beneath the creek or along the trail to eliminate future exposure risks, while restoring the creek's natural function through the placement of woody material downstream to encourage sediment deposition, widen incised channels, and prevent additional headcut formation. Minor grading of Arastradero Trail will also be conducted to restore an existing culvert, reduce sediment runoff into the creek, and improve trail conditions. The project is scheduled to begin on July 17, 2026, with a completion date of August 17, 2026, and is governed by compliance with the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits, as well as California Environmental Quality Act mitigation measures including BIO-13a, BIO-13b, and BIO-14. All temporary structures installed under the prior emergency authorization must be fully removed and replaced with ecologically functional improvements. The City of Palo Alto, acting as both lead agency and applicant, is responsible for project execution and regulatory compliance, with oversight coordinated through the Principal Engineer, Aaron Perkins, and environmental planner Liv Niederer. The project does not include specified contract value, pricing details, or traditional federal acquisition clauses, as it is a local government initiative focused on environmental restoration and utility relocation under CEQA and state regulatory frameworks rather than a federally procured contract. Public comment on environmental documentation is accepted through the City’s website and submissions to the State Clearinghouse in Sacramento, with hardcopy and electronic submissions required following CEQA guidelines.