San Luis Rey Habitat Management Area Restoration Project

The San Luis Rey Habitat Management Area Restoration Project, under Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement EPIMS-SDO-16574-R5, is a wetland establishment initiative managed by the San Diego County Water Authority in Fallbrook, California. The project involves an extension and amendment to the original agreement to implement an updated restoration plan, creating advanced permittee responsible mitigation sites for the exclusive use of the Water Authority. Work includes soil excavation, grading, and recontouring using heavy equipment to expand the first terrace of the San Luis Rey River floodplain on an approximately 49-acre property. The project is governed by Fish and Game Code section 1602 and Clean Water Act section 401 certification R9-2025-0075. While the project will cause temporary grading impacts to 0.10 acre of arrowweed scrub, 0.52 acre of Arundo scrub, and 0.37 acre of southern cottonwood willow riparian forest, the overall restoration will result in significant habitat gains. These include 11.85 acres of southern cottonwood willow riparian forest, 13.18 acres of Diegan coastal sage scrub, 11.51 acres of coast live oak woodland, 5.27 acres of southern sycamore woodland, and 1.89 acres of mulefat scrub. Both the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the CA Regional Water Quality Control Board have issued Notices of Determination stating the project will not have a significant environmental effect within their respective jurisdictions.