While not a popular opinion, getting experts involved will result in significantly more money. But theoretically it will be done right. The first time. (wink wink)
Getting the government involved, could in essence, backfire.
The EPA (or one of the alphabet gangs) could get involved and life changes substantially. Not for the better.
Story Time: (fuzzy recollection) One of the forums I frequent, a guy had permission to grade and re-flow a dry flood plain of sorts on his own property. It was in conjunction with a state/fed road project adjacent or near to his property.
The project ended/cancelled and he was required to stop work then return his property back to original (even though he had prior permission to do the re-grading).
It’s currently in legal limbo. But the work stoppage was absolute. It’s the return to original or ‘fix for the better’ that’s being argued.
So, because it’s a waterway, it’s gonna get ugly once the various departments know you’re doing work.
Story 2: We have family that has unmetered, original water rights from near when the state became a state. They have the right to dredge a section where their irrigation pump sets in place. It’s a protected area off the main river channel (like a protected cove that gets backwater). It gets professionally dredged every 1-3 years. The other years they sometimes do it. Every time, someone reports them. The sheriff, fisheries manager, fish & game dept, and EPA show up. It’s a green pants party. Then they realize the actual location, and leave. But every time there is activity some yahoo upstream driving by calls them in.
Story3: Same family, their neighbors were approached by an alphabet dept sub company. Saying “we’ll dig you a free deep water well”. The trade for sub surface water, was the loss of river water rights AND the loss of surface water rights. Forever. The sub-company hit everyone in the valley. Many took the bait, most did not.
Be careful.