Subsidence, limited sediment accretion, and sea level rise all contribute to the complete inundation of the Refuge’s Pacific cordgrass (Spartina folisa). During the higher high tides, the water level eliminates natural nesting areas for the rail.
This pilot project is not only intended to improve the habitat quality for the rail, but also to evaluate the success of this project as a regional strategy to combat sea level rise. Hopefully, this will ensure long term sustainability of coastal marshes along the Pacific Coast.
Other areas along the Pacific coast, such as San Francisco Bay, are also employing similar pilot projects:
West Coast Marshes Are Drowning, But There’s Still Time to Save Their Birds
View of the augmentation process.
Science Advances Article
Webinar
Presented by Karen Thorne, USGS Western Ecological Research Center and Evyan Sloane, California State Coastal Conservancy on March 15, 2018.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - 2015 Cooperative Recovery Initiative Grant
- Grant
- Sediment and Application Contract
- Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program
- Ecosystem Management & Restoration Research Program
Meet the Research Team
� Western Ecological Research Center, Karen Thorne, Ph.D.
UCLA � Richard Ambrose, Ph.D. & Glen MacDonald, Ph.D.
CSU Long Beach � Christine Whitcraft, Ph.D.
Chapman University � Jason Keller, Ph.D.
Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy � Richard Zembal, Ph.D. and Susan Hoffman
Friends of Seal Beach NWR � John Fitch and Carolyn Vance
Other Partners
Jeff Crooks, Ph.D., Research Coordinator,
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Contaminants Program, Coastal Program, I&M, and
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex
(Landowner)
(Landowner)
Moffatt & Nichol (Engineering contractor)
Curtin Maritime (Dredge contactor)
Webinars
Ecological Function of Coastal Salt Marshes in Response to Sea Level Rise -
Ecological Function of Coastal Salt Marshes in Response to Sea Level Rise -
Ecological Function of Coastal Salt Marshes in Response to Sea Level Rise -
Additional project information can be found in the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Final Environmental Assessment. These documents can be found on the Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan, .
For more information on this project, please contact:
Jill Terp, Deputy Project Leader
[email protected]
Cell 619-719-8579
Evyan Borgnis, Project Manager, CA State Coastal Conservancy
[email protected]
(510) 286-1883
