Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement Project
(Carmel River FREE)
In partnership with the County of Monterey, Big Sur Land Trust (BSLT) is leading the crucial Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement (Carmel River FREE) Project. Another example of Big Sur Land Trust's long-term commitment to conservation and land in service of community, Carmel River FREE will restore habitat and help significantly reduce flood risks for homes and businesses in the lower Carmel River watershed.
This project is one of the most extensive and important multi-benefit flood protection and riparian habitat restoration efforts on the Central Coast! Using a nature-based green infrastructure solution, it will reclaim the southern floodplain to direct water away from developed areas north of the river. The project includes numerous partners and stakeholders, engineering, design and environmental review, permit approvals and, of course, dollars. Over 20 agreements and permits have been secured for the project, including, most recently in January 2025, a Long Term Management Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County, BSLT, CA State Department of Parks and Recreation (CSP), Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District (MPRPD), and Monterey Peninsula Water Management District for the purpose of long term maintenance of the site following construction. Currently, the project is in the final stages of design and pre-construction coordination.
The 128-acre project site at the former Odello (East) Fields was donated to BSLT by Clint Eastwood and Margaret Eastwood. While we are the largest landowner at the Carmel River FREE site, portions of the project are also located on Palo Corona Regional Park and Carmel River State Beach. Habitat restoration on the project site will be guided by two restoration plans. A Tier 1 Restoration Management Plan will guide compensatory restoration (required by regulatory agencies to mitigate for impacts) on land owned by BSLT and CSP. A Tier 2 Habitat Management Plan will be implemented by BSLT and will guide initial revegetation and ongoing adaptive habitat management (non-compensatory) on BSLT and MPRPD property.
What's happening
BSLT is continuing to work with Monterey County to raise the necessary funds to construct Carmel River FREE. The project currently holds about $25M in grant funds. Pending a long awaited FEMA grant, the project will be fully funded to start the County bid process for construction. On May 1, 2025 FEMA released a draft Environmental Assessment (EA), a necessary step in the federal process for consideration of funding a Hazard Mitigation grant of $27M . After the 30-day public comment period, FEMA will then review comments, and decide whether it will issue a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and move the project forward for final congressional and administrative review and grant issuance. If all goes well, the funding will be secured in 2025, and the County can move forward with the bid process. As of now, construction would begin in 2026, and be completed in 2028.
How you can help
Ongoing floodplain restoration and stewardship will require additional funding. Anticipating this critical need, we set up a stewardship fund in 2016 with the Community Foundation for Monterey County. For more information contact Linda Baigrie at 831-920-9466 or lbaigrie@bigsurlandtrust.org.
For more background information on the project, you can visit:
