Restoring tidal wetlands at Sonoma Baylands, San Francisco Bay, California

Abstract

The Sonoma Baylands project recreated tidal wetlands using 2.0 million cubic m of dredged material. The design was based upon an extensive review of the first generation of restoration projects in San Francisco Bay and incorporated the lessons learned from these early projects. The Baylands project used dredged material in far lower quantities than previous projects to assure that the fill served as a template for the development of a wetland with an extensive tidal slough system. The project design also included a series of peninsulas to break up wind-driven waves and increase sedimentation rates. The target species for the project were the endangered California clapper rail and the salt marsh harvest mouse. The use of dredged material reduced the time needed for habitat development by several decades. Implementing the Sonoma Baylands project required a change in policy for the Army Corps of Engineers. The actual costs of adding the wetland project as part of the large navigation improvement project at the Port of Oakland resulted in about a 5% increase in overall project costs. Both the scientific and the policy issues involved in the project are discussed.