The horizontal levee project was completed on time and under budget.

Construction on the horizontal levee and an 8-million gallon wetland basin is now finished. Over the next 3-5 years, a UC Berkeley research team will evaluate the effectiveness of Oro Loma’s innovative project. The results will inform future discussions about horizontal levees on the East Bay Shoreline and beyond.

Learn more about the benefits of the horizonatal levee and watch a short video.

The focus is now on starting up the new process and watching the newly planted cattails and tules grow. During most of the year, water from the treatment plant will be routed to the freshwater wetland treatment system. After moving seven days through a series of dense stands of cattails and tules, the flow will be routed onto the top of the levee. From there, the water will flow through the soil and root zone of the native plants that cover the area.

During the heaviest rain, high water flows will be stored inside the wetland basin. This protects the downstream treatment processes and improves the quality of the treated water during storms.