Buena Vista Lagoon Enhancement Project: 65% Design and Engineering Plans

…n 2004 the Buena Vista Lagoon Restoration Feasibility Study was completed, and SANDAG has been working with stakeholders to include the property owners of the Cities of Oceanside and Carlsbad since 2013 to move the project forward. After significant public and stakeholder input, the CEQA environmental review process was completed in 2017. The SANDAG Board of Directors adopted a resolution to accept the Modified Saltwater Alternative (MSA) in 2020….

Redondo Beach: Power Plant to Park Acquisition and Planning

…ort that will analyze opportunities to maximize native habitat restoration and open space for public access and recreation. The City intends to restore approximately 10 acres of coastal non-tidal wetlands and will evaluate the remaining 20 acres for public access opportunities and habitat restoration to provide connectivity for wildlife. The City will utilize the results of technical studies to inform the appropriate restoration activities based o…

Los Cerritos Wetlands Southern Area Planning and Permitting

…ntified opportunities for restoring tidal connections, creation of new wetland and associated upland habitats, consolidation of oil operations, improvement to passive recreation facilities, creation of a visitor’s center, and accommodation of special status species at the Los Cerritos Wetlands. In January 2021 the LCWA certified a Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) utilizing the CRP designs to create a program description for a 503-acre pr…

Buena Vista Audubon Society Wetlands Reserve Restoration Project: 60% Design and Engineering

…e sea-level rise in the future; planning is needed to ensure there are wetlands and uplands habitat in the future. Runoff pollution from nearby streets and an adjacent earthen railroad berm enters the lagoon, which is on the State list of impaired water bodies for indicator bacteria, nutrients, and sedimentation/siltation. Additionally, the project site lies in a park-poor community in Oceanside with a lack of open spaces for residents to enjoy na…

Santa Margarita River Fish Passage Project: Implementation

…ridge approach. Project funding of $21M is secured and has remained intact to complete the bridge with a one-year delay. All parties seek to come to the right solution that respects tribal sacred area while providing passage for endangered steelhead and coastal resiliency. The bridge will be constructed over 1.5 years, with an anticipated completion date of 6/1/2025. While the project is currently fully funded, there may be additional costs for re…

Big Canyon Creek Restoration and Estuary Adaptation Project: Phase 3 Final Design and Permitting

…been degraded by numerous well documented impacts and requires habitat restoration and enhancement to improve the site’s biological productivity and ecological function. Big Canyon Nature Park has been subjected to the effects of water quality degradation from upstream development and selenium-laden groundwater seepage, historical land disturbance from grazing and agricultural activities, increased peak-flows during storm events and year-round dr…

…(WRP) Community Wetland Restoration Grant Program (CWRGP) provides funding for community-based restoration projects in coastal wetlands and along coastal stream corridors in the Southern California region. See the Grant Program flyer for an overview of the CWRGP. Over the past 20 years, the CWRGP has successfully completed over 170 community-based projects with over $4 million spent or currently obligated on project implementation.  Initiated by t…

Riparian Restoration at the Sespe Cienega

The project will implement the restoration plan for a large wetland and riparian complex along the Santa Clara River, a significant coastal river in southern California that still retains its natural hydrology and provides critical habitat for endangered species including least Bell’s vireo, Southwest willow flycatcher, and steelhead trout. The project location is the site of a historical wetland complex (over 400 acres) supported by artesian upw…

Kalorama Wetland Restoration and Community Education Project

…ough community engagement. The MERITO Foundation had staff members prepare for and lead removal events where volunteers removed non-native invasive plant species. During events, removal work were prefaced with a presentation to educate volunteers on various aspects of the project. The MERITO Foundation staff presented information on local wetland ecology and conservation, and the threats posed by non-native and invasive species. The MERITO Foundat…

Trabuco Creek Fish Passage Project at the Metrolink and I-5 Bridges

…ures, and d) improve infrastructure at the project site and provide access to historic spawning and rearing habitat 12 miles upstream. This project leverages upstream removal of >81 check dams in Trabuco and San Juan Creek by the Forest Service to improve habitat accessibility of native aquatic species. See a 2023 posting of the 3D renderings and animation of the fish passage solutions, and an article in The Osprey that describes the multi-stakeho…

Regional Strategy Report

…on that each partner – at the federal, state, and local level – could turn to for guidance in how to manage staff effort, direct resources, and measure progress. However, the original Regional Strategy did not include climate change science or quantitative objectives that could be tracked for success overtime. The Regional Strategy 2018 will guide wetland restoration for the WRP over the next few decades using scientifically-based, quantitative ob…

Restoring Audubon Starr Ranch Riparian Woodlands with Community Participation

…cuttings from ragweed and hedgenettle. The cuttings were planted in an area formerly dominated by periwinkle and other riparian non-natives. The seasonal ornithologist trained volunteers during intensive workshops to age, sex, and band songbirds of riparian woodlands. Several trained volunteers helped survey for amphibians (adults and larvae), reptiles (primarily turtles and semi-aquatic snakes), and fish and removed non-native crayfish and bullfr…