Date:
November 17, 2026 18
To: Board of Supervisors
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)
End
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 1,800acre 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 crossborder 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 crossborder 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...
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