Post Fire Response, La Sierra and Triunfo Canyon Emergency Rail and Timber Structures

Project Specifications

Client: Los Angeles County Department of Public Works

Location: Los Angeles County

Services: Environmental Review & Permitting, Biological Resources, Compliance & Environmental Construction Monitoring

Aspen prepared emergency work permits for the project, which involved emergency repairs to four flood control structures in and adjacent to the Triunfo Canyon Open Space Area, near the city of Westlake California, northwest Los Angeles County. The four structures are located above Triunfo Creek on a series of ephemeral drainages. These drainages collect and transport debris directly into a small residential community located immediately adjacent to Triunfo Creek and the Triunfo Canyon Open Space. The four wooden and steel structures were damaged by the Woolsey Fire (November 2018) and required the replacement of heavy wooden beams to protect the homes from a large storm event. The emergency repairs consisted of replacing damaged (burnt) wooden planks that attach to a metal frame. Suitable habitat for the State and federally listed Lyon’s pentachaeta (Pentachaeta lyonii) occurs in areas adjacent to the structures and Designated Critical Habitat for this species occurs at three of the four sites.

Aspen was responsible for assisting the Department with obtaining emergency work permits under the Regional General Permit (RGP) 63 (Repair and Protection Activities in Emergency Situations) for the USACE in order to comply with Clean Water Act Section 401, emergency work permits from CDFW under California Department of Fish and Game Code Section 1602, and prepared the notification to the RWQCB that emergency work will be occurring under RGP 63 for compliance with Clean Water Act Section 404. Additionally, Aspen provided on-site biological and construction monitoring.