Another Coastal Wetland to be Restored

While our state Department of Fish and Wildlife and other agencies continue to dither on Ballona, the University of California, San Diego is seeking a Coastal Development Permit[1] to restore the Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve (KFMR) in coastal San Diego County. The KFMR is one of four wildland reserves managed by UCSD[2], among thirty-four reserves managed by the UC system statewide. The KFMR is located along the northern shore of San Diego’s Mission Bay, and presently consists of 20.5 acres of upland and salt marsh.

According to the Coastal Commission Staff Report, the upland has become degraded due to poor soil conditions, insufficient tidal influence due to the overly steep gradient of the deposited fill material, and the dominance of invasive non-native plants. Sound familiar? It should. These are the exact same conditions that exist in the northern 300 acres of the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve!

When Marina Del Rey and the Marina Freeway were constructed, over 2 million cubic yards of fill were dumped on top of tidal saltmarsh, burying it 14-17 feet deep. All of that material must be excavated with heavy equipment in order to restore the Ballona Wetlands to a fraction of its former function and productivity.

At KFMR, heavy equipment will likewise be used to excavate and reshape the land so that proper drainage and tidal functions return. Excavated material will be placed upslope, and non-native, invasive plants will be removed (like the plants which presently dominate the Ballona lands). The land will be replanted with native coastal species.

The Coastal Commission permit places conditions on this construction, limiting activity to weekdays only between 8 AM and 4 PM. Special protective measures must be used to prevent soil erosion during and after construction, and restrictions during nesting season will protect a number of sensitive bird species that presently use the degraded habitat.

Like the very successful Malibu Lagoon project[3] and scores like it all along California’s coast, the KFMR restoration will improve the habitat upon which many species depend. Ballona will be one of the last and largest wetland restorations to grace the coast; something good to look forward to.

Enjoy Your Ballona Wetlands!

[1] http://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2015/3/w30b-3-2015.pdf

[2] http://nrs.ucsd.edu/reserves/kendall.html

[3] http://www.santamonicabay.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/RLS_Malibu-Lagoon-Steelhead-Trout-05-22-14-FINAL.pdf