Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland Project a time of decision between centuries of change Bryan Largay Director, Tidal Wetland Project Funding • NOAA Coastal Impact Assistance Program • NOAA Estuarine Reserve Division • California Department of Fish and Game • David and Lucille Packard Foundation • Resources Legacy Fund Foundation Tidal Wetland Project Tidal Wetland Project • Environmental Protection Agency Joint Meeting Joint Meeting • California Coastal Conservancy Strategic Planning Team & Science Panel Strategic Planning Team & Science Panel June 3 2009 June 3 2009
Outline Outline Brief review of the Tidal Wetland Project Brief review of the Tidal Wetland Project and recent activities and recent activities Past decision making processes Past decision making processes The Parsons Slough Project The Parsons Slough Project Results for hydrology, geomorphology and sea level rise Results for hydrology, geomorphology and sea level rise Ecosystem based management: Lessons learned Ecosystem based management: Lessons learned
ELKHORN SLOUGH NATI ONAL ESTUARI NE RESEARCH RESERVE Elkhorn Slough Foundation
Process for setting goals: Process for setting goals: Meetings on History, Ecology, Hydrology Meetings on History, Ecology, Hydrology Brainstorming Goals and Objectives Brainstorming Goals and Objectives Goal 1. Conserve Estuarine Habitats Goal 1. Conserve Estuarine Habitats More natural rate of change More natural rate of change Goal 2. Restore estuarine habitats Emphasize habitats with highest rates of loss Goal 3. Restore processes that sustain the system Goal 3. Restore processes that sustain the system W ater and sediment W ater and sediment Objectives call for increasing (or reducing in the rate of loss) of: of: Objectives call for increasing (or reducing in the rate of loss) • salt marsh salt marsh • tidal brackish marshes tidal brackish marshes • • • soft sediment habitats soft sediment habitats • sediment supply for marshes sediment supply for marshes • • • tidal creeks tidal creeks •
Planning Principles (17) Planning Principles (17) Guidelines and constraints Guidelines and constraints Examples: • Consider the broadest range of approaches • Accommodate economic activities • Minimize ongoing maintenance • Prioritize projects that improve water quality
Vision The Process: BURNING QUESTION transform goals Goals Planning into actions principles Objectives Management Tradeoffs and Technical alternatives constraints analysis Recommended alternatives Technical Technical Analysis : analysis What is possible? Implementation What are the tradeoffs?
Marsh loss: Wetland soils and irreversible change 50% of marsh diked and drained (1000 acres) 20% of remaining marsh has died back (200 acres)
Seal Bend Kirby Park Parsons 0 0 Channel Depth (m) 5 10 7 8 9 1 0 2 Distance from Hwy 1 (km) Tidal scour: No Action
Sediment Sediment • Geomorphology consensus statement Geomorphology consensus statement • Army Corps Dredge Reuse Army Corps Dredge Reuse Pajaro River Sediment – – to be deferred to be deferred Pajaro River Sediment (June 11 meeting in Watsonville) (June 11 meeting in Watsonville) Should we move forward with requesting an Should we move forward with requesting an appropriation for Army Corps Involvement? appropriation for Army Corps Involvement?
Other options: Other options: Beneficial re- -use of harbor dredge materials use of harbor dredge materials Beneficial re Pick-N-Pull Marsh and the Minhoto property
Technical Analysis: Technical Analysis: Purpose: to Predict outcomes, describe tradeoffs Purpose: to Predict outcomes, describe tradeoffs Project Alternatives Project Alternatives Hydrology, Sediment, & Habitats Hydrology, Sediment, & Habitats Nutrient Dynamics Biological Indicators Nutrient Dynamics Biological Indicators Socioeconomic Values Socioeconomic Values Legal / Policy Context Legal / Policy Context Outcome: Informed decision about restoration strategies Outcome: Informed decision about restoration strategies
Management alternative: New Ocean Inlet Management alternative: New Ocean Inlet Restores a sinuous shoaling inlet Image: Google Earth
Management alternative: Sill at Highway 1 Management alternative: Sill at Highway 1 Dissipates the energy of the tides Image: Google Earth
Historical reference condition provides a Historical reference condition provides a Conceptual model of change Conceptual model of change Before Moss Landing Harbor: Before Moss Landing Harbor: the sand bar at the mouth the sand bar at the mouth dissipated the energy of Monterey Bay tides dissipated the energy of Monterey Bay tides Monterey Bay tides Elkhorn Slough tides salt marsh thrives sand bar soft mud accumulates Monterey Bay sinuous channel Elkhorn Slough
Present conditions Present conditions After Moss Landing Harbor: After Moss Landing Harbor: The deep channel transmits The deep channel transmits the ocean’ ’s energy into the slough s energy into the slough the ocean Elkhorn Slough tides Monterey Bay tides salt marsh drowns soft mud is scoured away Monterey Bay Highway 1 bridge Elkhorn Slough
Management alternative: Sill at Highway 1 Management alternative: Sill at Highway 1 A submerged tidal barrier near the mouth of the slough A submerged tidal barrier near the mouth of the slough dissipates tidal energy dissipates tidal energy Monterey Bay tides Elkhorn Slough tides salt marsh survives soft mud deposits Sill Moss Landing Elkhorn Slough Harbor
Trade-offs: Identify constraints Eliminate alternatives Key: Define objectives, rank goals Comparison of two infrequent hypoxia objectives but more tidal scour management options improve water quality (dissolved oxygen) all marshes lost less scour but invertebrate frequent hypoxia community crashes reduce tidal scour (tidal energy)
Tradeoffs: Uncertainty, Adaptive Management Know what you don’t know Reality sets in less hypoxia more tidal scour improve water quality fewer (dissolved oxygen) options all marshes lost? invertebrate community crashes? more hypoxia less tidal scour reduce tidal scour (tidal energy)
An Ecosystem Based Management Approach: An Ecosystem Based Management Approach: Tradeoffs, Uncertainty, Tradeoffs, Uncertainty, Science directed towards Implementation Science directed towards Implementation Project Leads • MBARI - Ken Johnson & Judy Kildow • ESNERR - Kerstin Wasson, Becky Suarez, Eric Van Dyke • ESF - Mark Silberstein • Ocean Foundation – Linwood Pendleton Consulting Team • Philip Williams and Associates, Ltd. & H.T. Harvey & Associates Modeling Advisory Team • CSUMB, USGS, USF, SFEI, UC-Davis, Consultants Funding – The Packard Foundation & Resources Legacy Fund Foundation
Strategic Planning Team Strategic Planning Team Role: Primary decision-making body FEDERAL • Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary • National Marine Protected Areas LOCAL • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • Monterey County • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Moss Landing Harbor District • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service NONPROFIT, ACADEMIC, CORPORTATE FEDERAL & STATE • Moss Landing Marine Laboratories • Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research • Reserve – NOAA/CA DFG (lead)* CA State University Monterey Bay • Elkhorn Slough Foundation • STATE San Francisco Estuary Institute • • CA Coastal Commission The Nature Conservancy • • CA Coastal Conservancy The Ocean Conservancy • CA Department of Fish and Game • University of San Francisco • Union Pacific Railroad
The decision approach for large The decision approach for large scale alternatives scale alternatives • Original concept: • Original concept: ‘ ‘election style election style’ ’ voting for voting for different alternatives different alternatives • Previously we identified broad goals (protect • Previously we identified broad goals (protect marsh) but did not identify constraints or marsh) but did not identify constraints or acceptable tradeoffs. acceptable tradeoffs. • Prefer prioritization (habitats, species, costs) and • Prefer prioritization (habitats, species, costs) and more specific criteria more specific criteria • Brock Bernstein: working with us to develop this • Brock Bernstein: working with us to develop this approach over the coming months. approach over the coming months.
Today: Parsons Slough Project Today: Parsons Slough Project • Focused on the narrower decision of • Focused on the narrower decision of whether to move ahead whether to move ahead
A starting place: A tidal barrier at Parsons Slough A starting place: A tidal barrier at Parsons Slough Slightly reduce tidal exchange to Parsons Slough Slow currents throughout Elkhorn Slough sill location Parsons Elkhorn Slough Slough Approach (under development): • An adjustable structure • With detailed monitoring • That triggers management actions • To minimize risk to water quality, animal movement
Restore Parsons Slough ___________ also: Sediment Additions to subsided areas No Action Data: PWA
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