The USACE San Francisco District spans 900 miles of diverse shoreline, including the San Francisco Bay, the largest estuary system on the Pacific Coast. With its rich estuarine wetlands and complex landscapes, the district has become a leader in implementing Engineering With Nature (EWN) principles.
The San Francisco District has pioneered the techniques of strategic sediment placement and sediment mobilization, leading many beneficial use (BU) projects that have spanned decades. These efforts have provided long-term ecosystem benefits while enhancing regional economic, ecological, and social resilience. Some of these successes are captured in resources below; see the Feature Projects and the “Four Coasts” report.
The District has a long-standing commitment to using dredged material to restore wetlands, mimicking natural sediment deposition processes and improving coastal ecosystems. However, given the evolving challenges of climate change and shifting coastal dynamics, there is a growing need to accelerate progress, develop new tools, and revolutionize how projects are scoped and executed. EWN is crucial for adapting to these new conditions and delivering on the district’s navigation, flood risk management, and ecosystem restoration missions.
A key factor in the district’s success has been its collaborative approach. In 2021, the San Francisco District formally became an EWN Proving Ground (PG), bringing together staff across disciplines—environmental, planning, engineering, real estate, and more—to embed EWN thinking into projects from the outset. This cross-discipline integration, combined with leadership support, has fostered a creative and innovative mindset, allowing teams to explore new approaches and funding mechanisms. For example, incorporating EWN features has, in some cases, reduced construction costs, demonstrating both environmental and financial benefits.
Insights
Key lessons learned from the San Francisco District’s EWN Proving Ground experience:
- Collaborative Mindset Fuels Innovation: Leadership buy-in and cross-disciplinary collaboration have been essential to the district’s ability to think creatively and apply EWN principles. The proving ground model fosters a cultural shift, empowering teams to consider nature-based solutions and explore non-traditional approaches to project design and funding.
- Build Capacity and Share Knowledge: The district’s monthly training webinars and the integration of subject matter experts (SMEs) into project delivery teams (PDTs) ensure that EWN principles are consistently applied and that knowledge is continuously shared. The district’s initiative to create a “scoping cadre” for new projects helps embed EWN and NBS thinking at the early stages of planning, which could serve as a model for other districts.
- Establish a Long-Term Commitment to EWN: The district’s success with long-term BU projects and the reuse of dredged materials demonstrates the importance of sustained monitoring and adaptive management. These experiences show that EWN approaches can provide resilience benefits over time, not just during initial project phases.
- Strengthen Trust and Partnerships: The EWN PG approach has helped to build trust between the USACE, resource agencies, and the public. This trust is essential for successfully implementing NBS and EWN projects, as it fosters collaborative problem-solving and collective support for nature-based solutions.
Engineering With Nature Four Coasts: San Francisco District
This unique report identifies visionary design concepts incorporating Engineering With Nature® principles for broad benefits throughout the San Francisco District.
For examples of existing projects within San Francisco District, see the library of Featured Projects below.
