McGrath State Beach – Wetlands Restoration and Campground Relocation

The McGrath State Beach Wetlands Restoration and Campground Relocation Project is located within McGrath State Beach, which is made up of the estuary, an existing campground, an adjacent coastal dune and uplands area, beach areas, and McGrath Lake. This unique convergence adjacent to a state park campground creates both a responsibility and opportunity to protect, preserve and interpret these systems. The project is currently in the planning and environmental compliance phase.

The estuary currently provides low quality habitat for native wildlife, including listed species such as southern California steelhead and tidewater goby. In addition, following the 2005 complete loss of the levee on the south side of the Santa Clara River, the McGrath State Beach campground has been consistently inundated with estuarine waters and regularly closed to public access. This project provides the opportunity to address both issues by restoring up to 30 acres of the Santa Clara River Estuary wetlands and relocating the chronically flooded portion of the campground.