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Rendering showing the floodplains and benches slated to be a part of the Arboretum Waterway Flood Protection and Habitat Enhancement Project.

Arboretum Waterway Flood Protection and Habitat Enhancement

Arboretum Waterway Flood Protection
and Habitat Enhancement Project

We are excited to announce that the next phase of our multi-year project to maintain and enhance the Arboretum Waterway has begun! (Learn more by reading the press release.)

The waterway is not just iconic to the Arboretum, it’s an amenity for our community and an important component to how our campus manages its stormwater. The Arboretum Waterway Flood Protection and Habitat Enhancement Project addresses core UC Davis sustainability goals, including our low-impact development approach, stormwater management, and key elements of the Living Landscape Adaptation Plan, which prepares campus for the impacts of climate change.

The success of Phase 1 has allowed us to secure the next level of funding. A $5.4 million Urban Flood Protection grant from the California Natural Resources Agency and $2.5 million in matching funds from UC Davis will support the final phase of the Waterway Project. (See a graphic of the final phase.)

New project elements include increased storm water capacity, wetland and riparian habitat, pumps and weirs for water circulation, and concrete edges replaced with gently sloped banks of native vegetation. See the vision.

We resumed construction in March 2024. (Learn more.) Thank you for your patience as construction takes place. We look forward to keeping you up to date as we make progress on this project and hope that you will visit this page often to learn how we are re-designing the Arboretum Waterway to improve its future maintenance, aesthetics and habitat value. Stay informed about the timing and location of detours and find out how you can help by signing up for our email newsletter, The Leaflet.

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