In 2002 the City of Laguna Niguel embarked on a journey to address the ongoing degradation of the City’s surface water quality through restoration of a degraded stream to native wetland, riparian, and upland habitats through the center of an urban area.  Through a State Proposition 13 grant, a State Coastal Conservancy grant, a State Urban Streams Restoration grant, a Federal Section 206 cost-share with the United States Army corps of Engineers, and partnerships with the local Homeowners Associations and the County of Orange, the City has successfully planned and installed over 2.5 miles of restoration along a semi-contiguous portion of Sulphur Creek located in the Aliso Creek Watershed. The restoration effort was divided into two projects referred to as Upper Sulphur Creek and Middle Sulphur Creek. Specific restoration goals identified during the planning process for both projects included (1) restoring hydrologic processes including water storage, stream stability, and energy dissipation; (2) restoring biogeochemical functions including nutrient cycling, nutrient availability, and sediment deposition; and (3) restoring biologic functions including native wetland and riparian vegetation, plant and animal movement and dispersal, biomass production, and native plant and animal diversity.