Upper Guadalupe River Flood Control Project. For Moffatt & Nichol Engineers, Inc., 2002?2004. Hydroikos is assisting Moffatt & Nichol in their design of this Corps?funded project. This has included review of design drawings, evaluation of potential fish passage problems, and evaluation of the feasibility of a "geomorphic approach" to redesigning the project. Using an ecologically-desirable reach of the river as a geomorphic template, Coats developed a conceptual geomorphic design for the degraded reach 10B, of the river, and worked with the design team to bring the design to the 65 percent completion level.

Hydrogeomorphic review of flood control alternatives. For the Santa Clara Valley Water District, San Jose, CA, 2003-2004. The District has developed a detailed design for a flood control bypass channel for the Guadalupe River. As part of a 3-person Independent Review Panel Coats is assisting the District in a review of the flood control project from a geomorphic and ecological perspective.

Evaluation of historic water quality impacts at Sulphur Creek, Napa Co. For the Gray Carey law firm, San Francisco, 2000. Historic gravel mining and placement of concrete on the bed and banks of Sulphur Creek were alleged to have damaged water quality and fish passage opportunities. Hydroikos determined the line of "Ordinary High Water", and the liklihood of effects of concrete on pH of the stream. For the concrete company, defendants in the now-settled lawsuit, he is helped to design a stream crossing that is more "fish friendly".

Creek Protection Permits and Creek Assessment Reports. For various clients, 2002-present. Cities in the Bay Area are increasingly adopting programs and permit requirements to protect aquatic resources within city limits. Hydroikos has helped homeowners and lot owners in Oakland and Orinda to navigate the permit process and to develop plans that are consistent with the cities’ objective of protecting their creeks. This has involved assessment of streamside vegetation and erosion problems, and calculation of expected stream stage and discharge.

Permit Compliance at a Solano County Vineyard. For D. Sattui Vineyard, 1999. In the process of installing a vineyard, the owner had put some jurisdictional creeks (or gullies) into culverts. Hydroikos analyzed the extent of the impacts, and proposed a solution that helped bring the site back into compliance with the Water Board regulations.

Yolo County Environmental Impact Reports (Cache Creek),Yolo County, California. For Lilburn Corporation and the County of Yolo, 1996. Coats supervised a project to provide hydrologic expertise to evaluate the impacts of three proposed aggregate mining projects on Cache Creek. The project proposed off-channel mining from both deep and shallow excavations, with reclamation to agriculture, wetlands, and open ponds. The EIR considered project impacts from flooding, potential "capture" of the terrace excavations by Cache Creek floods, changes in rainfall infiltration, changes in direction and rate of round water flow, evaporation from the reclaimed ponds, and potential surface and ground water quality degradation.

Pilarcitos Watershed Management Plan. For the California Department of Fish and Game and Regional Water Quality Control Board, 1995-96. Pilarcitos Creek in San Mateo County drains a watershed of 30 mi2. The aquatic and riparian habitats have been damaged by water diversions for municipal and agricultural uses, overgrazing, erosion and sedimentation, clearing of riparian corridors, use of agricultural chemicals, etc. Coats was Principal-in Charge of a project to develop a plan for spending about $900,000 on enhancement and restoration in the watershed. The project included outreach to the local farmers, and coordination with a Technical Advisory committee.

Adobe Creek Restoration and Access Plan. For the City of Los Altos, 1989. As part of a team of planners, biologists and hydrologists, Coats helped to develop plans for riparian restoration and trail alignment along a seven mile reach of Adobe Creek near Los Altos.

Castro Valley Creek Restoration Alternatives Study. For the Alameda County Flood Control District, 1989. Coats evaluated a series of channel design alternatives for flood control, bank stabilization, and riparian corridor enhancement to restore a section of Castro Valley Creek. The project team prepared design drawings and cost estimates for construction of channel improvements, which included a series of redwood log-cribwalls for streambank stabilization. This project has been constructed and is used by the ACFCD as a demonstration for environmentally sensitive streambank stabilization.

Instream Flow Requirements for Zayante Creek, Santa Cruz Co. For the State Water Resources Control Board, 1981-82. Through the John Muir Institute, Coats conducted studies to determine the flow regime required for sediment transport to maintain or enhance beneficial uses. Results were published in Environmental Management.