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California Clapper Rail cont. River area of the north bay. This area is planned to be restored to full tidal action for the benefit of clapper rails and other species, with levee breaching and natural sedimentation. The Refuge has contracted with the National Biological Service to plan restoration of the Knapp Property, a 452-acre former salt pond in the Alviso area, on the edge of the bay, between Alviso and Guadalupe Sloughs. The levee may be breached in several locations, allowing full tidal action to the area. Wetland vegetation is expected to become established and grow within five to ten years in this area. The East Bay Regional Park District is involved in a cooperative project with the Refuge and other organizations to enhance a 325-acre area of diked salt marsh and adjacent uplands known as Oro Loma Marsh, located along the shore of Hayward. The area will be restored to tidal marsh and seasonal wetland habitat. The Refuge has also been working closely with the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the City of San Jose to plan mitigation for conversion of salt marsh to brackish marsh which occurred in the Coyote Creek area due to excessive freshwater outflow from the San Jose Water Pollution Control Plant. This effort has resulted in a purchase by the Wildlife Conservation Board of 835 acres of inactive salt evaporators in Hayward, known as the Baumberg Tract, from Cargill Salt Co., to be restored to tidal marsh and seasonal wetlands. In addition, in order to complete the remainder of their mitigation requirements, the City of San Jose has also recently purchased the Moseley Tract (located just north of the west approach to the Dumbarton Bridge) from the Port of Oakland for restoration to tidal action. The largest potential addition to the Refuge is Bair Island, a 1,673-acre diked wetland in Redwood City, owned by a private Japanese construction firm. |
Last updated:
May 22, 2008
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