Murrieta Creek Scheme Phase 2 Underway

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District Commander Col. Kirk Gibbs recently visited the multi-purpose Murrieta Creek project designed to provide flood risk reduction, ecosystem restoration and recreation adjacent to the City of Temecula historic Old Town.

“This is a challenging project because of its location right in the middle of the City,” Gibbs said. “However, we’re working in close partnership with Riverside Flood Control, the City of Temecula, and our contractor, OHL USA Inc., to resolve some environmental and engineering challenges to make this portion of the build successful.”

The project’s major features include about seven miles of channel improvements, a wildlife corridor along the length of the project, three bridge replacements and a 270-acre detention basin with 163 acres of wetland restoration and a 49-acre recreation park.

The project is currently in Phase 2, which consists of improvements along 2.5 miles on both sides of the channel, extending from downstream of the First Street Bridge up to Winchester Road for approximately 2.5 miles. It also includes the replacement of Main Street Bridge, recently constructed by the City of Temecula.

Phase 1 provided for channel improvements on both sides extending from the downstream limit of the project up to a point just downstream of First Street Bridge.

Upcoming Phases 3 and 4 will construct the 270-acre multi-purpose detention basin that will include about 5,000 acre-feet of flood control storage, 163 acres of environmental restoration, 49 acres of recreation, about 3.6 miles of channel widening and improvement from Elm Street up to Tenaja Road and replacement of Guava Street Bridge and Ivy Street Bridge.

Funding for the nearly $91 million flood protection and environmental restoration project will be split approximately two-thirds federal to one-third non-federal.

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