Arcade Creek Feasibility Study

HELIX Environmental Planning (HELIX) staff prepared a feasibility study on Arcade Creek in the City of Sacramento to examine the health of a section of the creek and recommend strategies for restoring the stream corridor to a healthier state. This study occurred in three phases: inventory, analysis, and schematic design. The inventory phase involved developing a set of data collection protocols to classify the health of the riparian, stream channel and aquatic systems, classification of the stream into reaches, and collection of data on those reaches. The analysis phase consisted of classifying the data based upon four main goals: decreasing floodwater damage; improving water quality; enhancing habitat; and providing recreational opportunities. The schematic design phase involved a work-session to examine the data and analysis to identify restoration opportunities in the four goal areas followed by field work to refine the restoration designs. Class I bike/pedestrian and equestrian trails were recommended along the creek, linking to several recreational and commuter connections, including the Del Paso Regional Park, a light rail terminal, the Discovery Museum Learning Center, Haggin Oaks Golf Course, Kenwood Oaks Park, the Sacramento Horsemen’s Association and Renfree Park.