Urban Streams Restoration Program: Grants
The Urban Streams Restoration Program (USRP) provides grants to local communities for projects to:
- Reduce flooding, erosion, and associated property damage
- Restore, enhance, and/or protect the natural ecological values of streams
- Promote community involvement, education, and stewardship
Since 1985, the program has provided more than 270 grants ranging from $1,000 to $1 million to communities throughout California. The projects have included stream cleanups, bank stabilization projects, revegetation efforts, recontouring of channels to improve floodplain function and occasional acquisition of strategic floodplain properties or easements.
Through the Riverine Stewardship Program, and in conjunction with the San Joaquin Fish Population Enhancement Program, USRP will fund planning and implementation projects that restore streams, creeks, and rivers to enhance the environment for fish, wildlife, and people.
Details of the solicitation are posted on the Riverine Stewardship Program – Grants webpage and interested parties will be notified of milestones and upcoming events through our mailing list For further information, contact us at usrpinfo@water.ca.gov.
We Can Help You With Your Projects
Learn more about our projects by viewing the descriptions of projects we actively manage from the 2008 and 2014 grant cycles.
DWR staff can assist with riverine ecosystem restoration projects and provide technical assistance pending available resources. DWR also provides additional technical assistance.
Our services include:
- Project planning
- CEQA compliance and permitting strategies
- Refinement of stream restoration techniques
- Grant application preparation
- Funding opportunities
- Additional assistance with riverine enhancement projects
2022 USRP Draft Grant Awards
Winter 2022 Draft Grant Awards
The Riverine Stewardship Program project solicitation period is now a rolling application cycle that was opened in June 2022 for concept proposals and had a full application closing date of August 31, November 30, 2022 and February 28, 2023. Concept proposals that met eligibility were reviewed and invited for full applications to be submitted. Applications seeking funds under the Urban Streams Restoration Program were invited to submit full applications. These applications were scored, and the following draft awards are listed below for a public comment of 15 days prior to award finalization.
| Project Name | Grantee (Sponsor/ Cosponsor) | Amount Awarded | Project Location |
| Carr Lake Restoration | Big Sur Land Trust/ Center for Community Advocacy | $2,500,000 | Monterey |
**Public Comment Period now open!**
Please submit any questions, opposition, comments, or concerns regarding these draft awards to the USRP Program Manager at USRPinfo@water.ca.gov within the 15-day public comment period, which is open now and closes on May 26, 2023 at 5:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. The USRP will consider and respond to any comments made during this comment period on the draft awards prior to finalizing the Final Awards in May 2023.
2022 USRP Final Grant Awards
Summer 2022 Final USRP Grant Awards
| Project Name | Amount Requested | Total Project Cost | Draft Award Amount |
| Donner Creek Restoration | $1,239,936 | $1,401,148 | $1,239,936 |
| Lower Colgan Creek Restoration Project - Phase 3 | $6,536,000 | $9,536,000 | $4,368,066 |
2014 & 2008 Grant Cycle Information
View the list of Final Grant Awards (PDF) for the 2014 application solicitation and the map of project locations.
- 13 proposals have been awarded grant funding for a total of $8,275,000 in grant funds from Propositions 84 and 13.
- 8 contingency proposals were identified in the event additional funds become available.
- 2 contingency projects, the Antelope Creek Flood Control Project and the Daylighting Codornices Creek at Kains Street project, were subsequently funded after the lists were finalized.
View the list of Final Grant Awards (PDF) for the 2008 application solicitation and the map of project locations..
12 applications have been awarded grant funding for a total of $8,840,335 in grant funds from Propositions 84 and 40.