Tidal Wetland Project Newsletter
June 2009
The Tidal Wetland Project (TWP) is an initiative of the
Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Support is also provided by the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. |
Parsons Slough Restoration - Moving Forward
The Tidal Wetland Project has recently reached a milestone and is moving forward with the next
steps in the Parsons Slough Restoration Project.
Previous work entailed the collective exploration of various engineering
concepts and associated costs, and extensive research and analysis in a number
of different disciplines (e.g., hydrology, geomorphology, ecology, water
quality, and relationships between humans and the Elkhorn Slough). Project
ideas and developments have also been shared with local interest groups, nearby
business owners, residents, knowledgeable researchers and volunteers, and their
feedback solicited. Based on the outcomes of this work, the two main advisory
groups for the Tidal Wetland Project, the Strategic Planning Team and the
Science Panel, met on June 3, 2009 to make a recommendation for the next steps
of the project.
The collective decision was
that the Tidal Wetland Project staff work to implement a low sill (a tidal
barrier similar to an underwater retaining wall) at the entrance to the Parsons
Slough Complex. The top of the structure would be several feet underwater at low tide.
This project will help slow the scour of sediments and improve salt marsh survival throughout Elkhorn Slough, and is expected to have no adverse effects on the movements of sharks, sea otters or other fish and wildlife.
This 'sill' at the mouth of the Parsons Slough Complex will reduce the tidal prism in the Elkhorn Slough, or the volume of water that
moves in and out with each tidal cycle. This is because the large volume of water that currently flows in and
out of the Parsons Slough Complex contributes substantially to the overall high
speed and large volume of tidal movement in the larger Elkhorn Slough. This submerged structure will reduce the speed of the tides in Parsons Slough, thereby reducing the speed at which sediment is carried away from this area.
Making a decision to pursue the implementation of a sill at
Parsons Slough leads the Tidal
Wetland Project into a new phase of work.
We are currently seeking funding for this work, which will
include finalizing the design, meeting regulatory requirements for the project, and finalizing a monitoring plan. That process will specify success criteria and put in place a monitoring plan to track those criteria over time. The design includes the capacity for adjustment, allowing different settings to be tested over a
period of a few years until the optimal configuration is determined. Those decisions will be based on monitoring data, and input from scientific advisers and the community.
Examples of factors that will
be monitored include tidal scour, the extent of salt marsh, concentrations of oxygen
dissolved in the water, percent of algae covering on the water surface and changes
in the use of the area by fish and wildlife.
Notes from the June 3, 2009 meeting are
available on our Meetings webpage. More information about the Parsons Slough Restoration
Project and the Parsons Slough Restoration Plan draft final report are
available on the Parsons Slough Restoration Project webpage.
As always, we welcome your comments and
questions. You can contact Bryan at bryan@elkhornslough.org or Erin at erin@elkhornslough.org. |
Public Event - Parsons Slough Project
Saturday, June 27,
9:30-noon; Saturday Sept. 5, 9:30-noon
Interested in learning more about the Parsons Slough Project and providing some input? Tidal Wetland Project director Bryan Largay will be giving a presentation on the Parsons Slough Restoration Project and leading a walk to the project site.
When:
- Saturday, June 27 from 9:30-noon, and again on
- Saturday, September 5, 9:30-noon
The Parsons Slough Project is an effort to preserve tidal marshes and
other estuarine habitats in Elkhorn Slough (more on the Parsons Slough Project). Bryan will provide a short
presentation about the issues effecting the Elkhorn Slough ecosystem and developments with the Parsons Slough Project, followed by a hike to Parsons Slough. Please meet by the flag
pole at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Inquiries can be sent to Erin McCarthy by email.
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