Inspection finds Atherton Channel banks and bed in need of repair; consultants recommend mix of hard and soft fixes

Town consultants presented a preliminary condition assessment of the Atherton Channel and recommended a mix of structural repairs and softer, habitat‑compatible measures to stabilize banks and protect adjacent property.

The study: the town contracted Tetra Tech to survey and model the Atherton Channel from Alameda de las Pulgas upstream toward Valley Road. Tetra Tech and Friar and Loretta used lidar, field inspection and hydraulic modeling (HEC‑RAS) to estimate flows and identify locations where banks and the channel bed have eroded or where historic repairs are failing.

Key findings: the channel contains a patchwork of historic repairs and materials — shotcrete and so‑called “sacrete,” riprap and rock, log crib features and natural sections. Inspectors documented exposed roots, head‑cuts where natural sections meet hardened sections, and culverts that are undersized. The consultants reported modeled flows from roughly 250 cubic feet per second (cfs) at the upper end of the study area up to 750–800 cfs at lower…