Tidal Wetland Project
In This Issue
Public Comment Period Closed
Additional TWP Money Awarded
Strategic Planning Team/Science Panel Joint Meeting
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Tidal Wetland Project
 
Parsons Slough Restoration
 
 
Employment opportunities

Tidal Wetland Project Newsletter
July 2010
  

 
The Tidal Wetland Project (TWP) is an initiative of the
Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
and is also supported by the Elkhorn Slough Foundation.
  The public comment period for the Initial Study and Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration for the proposed Parsons Slough Sill Slough Project is closed!
 
The public comment period for the project was April 23 through May 23, 2010. One comment was submitted and will be formally addressed.
 

 

TWP Awarded Supplemental Grant

In June, 2010 the Elkhorn Slough Foundation was awarded a grant for $562,880 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

 

This is a supplemental grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (also known as the stimulus bill)  to the $3.9 million grant from the same program  that was awarded in July 2009 for the implementation of a sill at Parsons Slough.

 

"The economic stimulus bill continues to fund projects and create jobs on the Central Coast and across the country," said Congressman Sam Farr (D-Carmel). "Just this week the Congressional Budget Office reported that the stimulus resulted in the employment of as many as 2.8 million Americans."

 

The Parsons Slough project  involves the construction of an in-water sill structure to modify the tidal prism, providing long-term protection and erosion control for Elkhorn Slough tidal wetlands. The project will provide long-term protection and erosion control for over 400 acres of tidal wetlands and protect critical coastal infrastructure.  The additional funds will be used to complete the implementation of the structure and to support monitoring of environmental conditions.

 

 

Future site of Parsons Sill
mouth 1949

 
 
To learn more about the additional grant money awarded to TWP, visit the Elkhorn Slough Foundation web page, or email the Tidal Wetland Project at [email protected].
Strategic Planning Team and Science Panel Joint Meeting 


Two Strategic Planning Team and Science Panel meetings were recently held on May 20th and June 23rd.


The May 20th meeting was held to provide a progress report on the Parsons Slough sill design, the major constraints that conditioned the design, and to discuss how this project might serve as a learning opportunity for other restoration projects.  The meeting included a TWP update on the adaptive management process that was developed in concert with focused working groups as well as a discussion about the trade offs associated with different management decisions.  One outcome of this discussion was an assessment of stakeholders' various "values" associated with the ecosystem.


We again brought the Strategic Planning Team and Science Panel together on June 23rd to learn about the findings of the Packard Foundation-funded research on five large scale management alternatives.  Presentation topics included a habitat analysis conducted by the consultant P.J. Harvey and Associates and presented by Bryan Largay, a water quality analysis presented by Ken Johnson, an analysis of impacts to key species presented by Kerstin Wasson and a political and socioeconomic analysis presented by Judith Kildow and Linwood Pendleton, respectively. The purpose of the presentations was to communicate the benefits, costs and risks associated with each  large scale management alternative for each area of research.


TWP also conducted an information needs assessment to determine what additional information Panel members needed in order to evaluate the large scale alternatives and also gathered input on concerns and lingering questions. The information needs that were uncovered at the meeting will be addressed by targeted working groups and by additional presentations of research at upcoming TWP meetings. 


Information shared at the May and June meetings, including presentations and meeting notes, is available on the TWP Meetings & Events web page.


Elkhorn Slough
Elkhorn Slough

 
For questions about the Strategic Planning Team/Science Panel joint meeting, email the Tidal Wetlands Project at [email protected].
The Tidal Wetland Project's newsletter is intended to keep community members, local organizations, policy-makers, and other stakeholders up to date about current activities and ways to provide feedback to the Tidal Wetland Project. If you have any questions about items in this email, the project in general, or if you have suggestions for information you would like to see in future updates, please let us know!

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For general information about the Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland Project, go to
http://elkhornslough.org/tidalwetlandproject/index.html.


Best Regards,

The Tidal Wetland Project Team