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Date: |
November 17, 2026 |
18 |
Title
Authority to Advertise and Award a Construction Contract for the Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project and Adopt Related CEQA Environmental Review Update Checklist (District: 1)
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Overview
The County of San Diego’s (County) Tijuana River Valley Regional Park (TRVRP) lies near the United States-Mexico border adjacent to the Nestor community in the City of San Diego and the City of Imperial Beach. The 1,800-acre park is managed by the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), which oversees recreation areas and habitat restoration. Managing these areas also requires addressing transboundary flows of sewage, trash, and sediment from Mexico. In 2020, the County completed the Tijuana River Valley Needs and Opportunities Assessment (NOA) Report, funded through California Senate Bill 507, which identified projects to reduce cross-border impacts, including the Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project (Project). The Project consists of the installation of a sediment basin, trash capture devices and roadway improvements. The purpose of this Project is to capture excess sediment and trash as it enters the United States and prevent it from flowing into the Pacific Ocean and will incorporate roadway improvements that are intended to minimize flooding on Monument Road.
Separate from the Project, DPR conducts routine maintenance in Smuggler’s Gulch to address ongoing cross-border pollution impacts, including the County’s annual dredging south of Monument Road to remove accumulated trash and sediment resulting from transboundary flows. In 2026, the County implemented several contracts to address ongoing sedimentation and trash accumulation issues. The three major maintenance efforts included repairing and redeploying trash booms, removing more than 20 tons of debris, and clearing one culvert. In addition, the County secured $3.4 million in funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support dredging of the Smuggler’s Gulch channel.
Recent removal of debris and excess sediment from the Smuggler’s Gulch has strengthened our preparedness for potential flooding associated with the El Niño season. By clearing blockages and restoring flow capacity, we have improved overall channel functionality and reduced the likelihood of localized backups within County-managed areas. These efforts ensure that, to the greatest extent possible within County property boundaries, the system is optimized to convey increased stormwater volumes and perform as designed during high-intensity weather events. These targeted maintenance actions position us to mitigate flood risk and respond more effectively to severe storm impacts.
Today’s proposed action would authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting to advertise and award a construction contract for the Project. Planning, design, permitting and environmental costs for the project total approximately $2,000,000. Construction costs are estimated at $8,000,000 including contingency, project administration, monitoring, and reporting, for an estimated total project cost of $10,000,000. If approved, construction is anticipated to begin in Spring 2027 and completed in Spring of 2028.
Body
Recommendation by Chief Administrative Officer:
1) Find that the Addendum to the Initial Study (IS)/Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the Regional General Permit Project (State Clearinghouse No. 1998061097), on file with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), has been completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and State and County CEQA Guidelines.
2) Find that there are no changes in the project, or, in the circumstances under which the project is undertaken, that involve significant new impacts which were not considered in the previously adopted Addendum, dated April 23, 2021. Furthermore, find that there is no substantial increase in the severity of the previously identified significant effects, that no new information of substantial importance has become available since the Addendum was adopted, as explained in the Environmental Review Update Checklist Form (September 11, 2026), and that the previously adopted Addendum is therefore adequate without modification.
3) Authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, to advertise and award a construction contract and to take any action authorized by Section 401 et seq. of the Administrative Code with respect to contracting for the construction of Capital Project 1024602, Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project.
4) Designate the Director, Department of Parks and Recreation, as the County of San Diego Officer responsible for administering the construction contract for the construction of Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project in accordance with Section 430.4 of the County Code of Administrative Ordinances and Board Policy F-41, Public Works Construction Projects.
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Equity Impact Statement
The Tijuana River Valley Regional Park (TRVRP), located near the communities of Imperial Beach, San Ysidro, and Otay Mesa, areas identified under Senate Bill 535 and CalEnviroScreen 4.0 as Environmental Justice communities with high pollution burdens, serves as the setting for a project designed to address transboundary sewage, trash, and sediment flows from the United States-Mexico border into the Tijuana River Valley. Identified as a preferred alternative (Alternatives L and M) in the Tijuana River Valley Needs and Opportunities Assessment (NOA) Report, funded through California Senate Bill 507 and prepared by the County of San Diego, the Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project (Project) aims to protect recreation and aquatic habitat in the Tijuana River Estuary by intercepting excessive sediment, trash, and debris upstream before they degrade downstream ecosystems. By capturing these pollutants, the Project supports the health of one of the region’s highest-value estuarine habitats, essential for numerous special-status species, while enhancing the effectiveness of ongoing restoration efforts. Without this intervention, persistent sedimentation would continue to impair the Estuary, reduce the benefits of restoration work, and negatively affect downstream natural resources, residents, and overall ecosystem health.
Sustainability Impact Statement
The proposed Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project (Project) supports the County of San Diego’s sustainability goals by engaging the community, promoting equitable access, protecting public health, and preserving ecosystems, habitats, and biodiversity, while addressing long-standing environmental burdens affecting low-income and environmentally impacted communities such as San Ysidro, Nestor, and parts of the South Bay. These neighborhoods have endured chronic air and water quality issues, beach closures, limited recreational access, and recurring public health risks due to transboundary sewage, trash, and sediment flows. By intercepting sediment, debris, and contaminated runoff before they reach downstream coastal waters, the Project reduces exposure to pollutants, enhances access to clean and safe recreation, and mitigates flood hazards that can disrupt transportation, emergency access, and community facilities. The Project advances environmental justice priorities by correcting infrastructure gaps that contribute to unequal health and environmental outcomes, while supporting community wellbeing and regional resilience. Additionally, improved stormwater conveyance and reduced debris accumulation strengthen the area’s ability to withstand climate-driven storms, helping protect vulnerable populations that typically experience disproportionate impacts and longer recovery times.
Fiscal Impact
Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Operational Plan in the Capital Outlay Fund for Capital Project 1024602, Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project. The funding source for this project is funding received from the California Coastal Conservancy ($10,000,000). Planning, design, permitting and environmental costs for the project total $2,000,000. Construction costs are estimated at $8,000,000 including contingency, project administration, monitoring, and reporting, for a total project cost of $10,000,000. There will be no change in net General Fund costs and no additional staff years.
Upon completion of this project, ongoing annual operations are estimated at $750,000 for sediment removal from the basin, depending on weather conditions. Current costs for annual operations and maintenance are funded by existing General Purpose Revenue (GPR) and included in the FY 2026-27 Operational Plan in the Department of Parks and Recreation ($750,000). Future ongoing costs will be included in future operational plans. There will be no change in net General Fund costs and no additional staff years.
Business Impact Statement
N/A
Advisory Board Statement
The property is in the incorporated area of the City of San Diego, and therefore no County of San Diego Community Planning Group is assigned to this region. This Tijuana River Valley planning area is not recognized by any City of San Diego community planning groups.
Background
The Tijuana River Valley Regional Park (TRVRP) is located near the border of the Tijuana River Valley and Nestor communities in the City of San Diego (City) on land owned by the County of San Diego (County). The TRVRP encompasses approximately 1,800 acres of land west of Interstate 5 and just north of the United States-Mexico international border. The park includes 22.5 miles of multi-use trails, a bird and butterfly garden, the County’s largest community garden, baseball fields, soccer fields, a campground, and natural open space. The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) manages the active and passive recreation sites and actively works to restore habitat and wetland areas in the region as part of the South County Multiple Species Conservation Program, a long-term, regional habitat conservation program focused on balancing the protection of plant and animal species with recreation, development, and agricultural activities within the San Diego region.
Smuggler’s Gulch is an earthen-bottom channel that is a tributary of the Tijuana River and flows in a northerly direction from the United States-Mexico border until its confluence with the Tijuana River pilot channel. DPR conducts routine maintenance of Smuggler’s Gulch south of Monument Road through annual dredging to remove trash and sediment resulting from transboundary flows. Because the area supports a diverse and delicate natural ecosystem, dredging must occur within a specific seasonal window to avoid disturbance during bird nesting season and to ensure compliance with environmental permits associated with the dredging. This timing is not only a matter of responsible environmental stewardship but also a requirement of regulatory permits. As a result, dredging between March 15th and Sept 15th is not feasible, which restricts the window during which dredging is possible. The combination of a limited dredging window and the volume of materials that enter the United States from Mexico can cause excess materials, including sediment, trash, and other debris to flow through Smuggler’s Gulch and deposit throughout the river valley.
Separate from the annual maintenance, the proposed Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project (Project) will install permanent sediment and trash capture devices that would remove these materials at their source (as they enter the United States), thereby preventing them from being deposited in the river valley and ultimately the Tijuana River Estuary and Pacific Ocean. The new sedimentation basin will be located south of Monument Road to capture sediment and trash using articulated concrete block protection, gabion weirs, trash booms, and a trash rack. The basin will include access roads, ramps, gates, and vegetated slopes for erosion control. Additionally, the Project will involve roadway improvements to reduce localized flooding. The existing 42‑inch culvert underneath Monument Road is undersized and frequently blocked, so it will be replaced with a larger 10‑by‑4‑foot double box culvert and a reconstructed section of Monument Road. Construction will involve temporary water diversion and a temporary access road across Smuggler’s Gulch, using areas already disturbed. After construction, temporary features and fill will be removed, and disturbed areas will be stabilized and restored with hydroseeding and erosion‑control Best Management Practices.
Routine maintenance would be required for operation of the sediment basin and trash capture devices, similar to the ongoing maintenance currently conducted by the County. To maximize sediment and trash removal capacity, the sediment basin would require periodic sediment removal to restore its storage volume before subsequent storm events. Sediment and debris removed during maintenance would be either reused or hauled offsite for disposal. As occurs under existing sediment removal practices, removed materials would be sorted to determine whether they are suitable for reuse (e.g., as construction material). Materials that cannot be reused would be disposed of at local landfills.
Over the years, the County has implemented projects to remove sediment and trash and improve water flow in the Tijuana River Valley. In 2020, the County completed the Tijuana River Valley Needs and Opportunities Assessment (NOA) to assess potential management strategies and projects to address transboundary sewage, trash, and sediment flows from Mexico. As part of this effort, the County held public meetings and conducted targeted public and stakeholder outreach with over 30 stakeholder groups. In July 2019, DPR held a public meeting to educate the public about the purpose of the NOA and to receive input on the draft list of projects. The feedback was incorporated into the final version of the NOA report.
On June 27, 2023 (16), the County first issued a Proclamation of Local Emergency due to the continued conditions for detrimental impacts to the environment, economy, and property within San Diego County, caused by persistent impacts from cross-border pollution and sewage impacted ocean waters. This has been renewed 26 times since. In 2023, DPR leveraged County funding to obtain a $4,250,000 grant from the State Water Resources Control Board, $100,000 from California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and $750,000 from the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Capital Outlay Fund to complete necessary sediment and trash removal efforts in Smuggler’s Gulch which supported this proclamation. This project was approved by the Board of Supervisors on October 24, 2023 (7) with project activities beginning in Spring 2024 and concluding in November 2024. Through the project, more than 20,000 cubic yards of accumulated materials were removed to help improve hydrologic conditions in the area. While the project was successful, heavy rains in 2024 caused unexpected challenges, including significant flooding within the Tijuana River Valley that created emergency circumstances. As a result, additional trash and sediment removal beyond the original project scope were necessary to mitigate potential flood impacts that threatened public and private properties, leading to an expanded scope and increased costs that necessitated change orders to the construction contract for the project.
Despite the efforts completed in 2024, there is still additional work that needs to be done to remove accumulated sediment, trash, and debris in the Tijuana River Valley. These additional efforts are necessary to continue the County’s goal of implementing a holistic approach to the maintenance of channels within the Tijuana River Valley and to address impacts caused by January 2024 storm events.
In 2026, the County implemented several contracts to address ongoing sedimentation and trash accumulation issues. The three major maintenance efforts included repairing and redeploying trash booms, removing more than 20 tons of debris, and clearing one culvert. Recent removal of debris and excess sedimentation from the Smuggler’s Gulch has strengthened our preparedness for potential flooding associated with the El Niño season. By clearing blockages and restoring flow capacity, we have improved overall channel functionality and reduced the likelihood of localized backups within County-managed areas. In addition, the County secured $3.4 million in funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support dredging of the Smuggler’s Gulch channel as necessary to improve hydrology and reduce localized flood risks.
Today’s proposed action would authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting to advertise and award a new construction contract for Capital Project 1024602, Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project. Planning, design, permitting and environmental costs for the project total $2,000,000. Construction costs are estimated at $8,000,000 including contingency, project administration, monitoring, and reporting, for a total project cost of $10,000,000. If approved, construction is expected to begin in Spring 2027 and is anticipated to be complete by Spring of 2028.
Environmental Statement
An Addendum to the Initial Study (IS)/Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the Regional General Permit Project (State Clearinghouse No. 1998061097), on file with the County of San Diego (County) Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), has been completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and State and County CEQA Guidelines.
There are no changes in the project, or, in the circumstances under which the project is undertaken, that involve significant new impacts which were not considered in the previously adopted Addendum, dated April 23, 2021. Furthermore, find that there is no substantial increase in the severity of the previously identified significant effects, that no new information of substantial importance has become available since the Addendum was adopted, as explained in the Environmental Review Update Checklist Form (September 11, 2026). Therefore, the previously adopted Addendum is adequate without modification.
Linkage to the County of San Diego Strategic Plan
Today’s proposed actions support the Sustainability and Community Initiatives in the County of San Diego’s 2026-2031 Strategic Plan by cultivating a natural environment for residents, visitors and future generations to enjoy.
Respectfully submitted,
Dahvia Lynch
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Attachment(s)
Attachment A - Vicinity Map
Attachment B - Environmental Review Update Checklist Form