Sonoma Creek Enhancement: 400-acres of vital wetland habitat in San Pablo Bay – National Audubon Society

Report on the San Pablo Bay Tidal Marsh Enhancement Project and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Project Overview

A collaborative initiative was undertaken by Audubon California, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Marin Sonoma Mosquito Control District to enhance 400 acres of tidal marsh habitat within the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This project is a key component of coastal resilience efforts, designed to demonstrate effective adaptation strategies against climate change impacts, particularly sea level rise and storm surges. The project’s framework and outcomes align directly with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2.0 Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The project’s design and objectives contribute significantly to the global agenda for sustainable development.

• SDG 13: Climate Action: The project’s primary goal is to bolster the marsh’s resilience to climate change. By creating high marsh transition zones and habitat mounds, it directly addresses Target 13.1 to strengthen adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water: By restoring a network of tidal channels, the project enhances nutrient cycling and provides critical spawning and feeding grounds for fish species, including Coho salmon and steelhead, supporting Target 14.2 to protect and restore marine and coastal ecosystems.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The initiative restores a critical wetland habitat for a diverse range of wildlife, including endangered species like the Ridgway’s Rail and the salt marsh harvest mouse. This directly supports Target 15.5 to halt biodiversity loss and protect threatened species.
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The project improves water quality by enhancing tidal circulation, which reduces stagnant water conditions. This leads to a significant reduction in the need for pesticides for mosquito control, contributing to Target 6.3 on improving water quality by reducing pollution.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The creation of transition zones and mounds serves as a natural buffer, reducing the risk of storm surge flooding to adjacent private lands and infrastructure, aligning with Target 11.5 to reduce the impact of natural disasters.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The project provides hands-on educational opportunities for students, facilitating field-based learning about watershed restoration and natural history, which supports Target 4.7.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The project exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership, bringing together federal and local government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private donors to achieve common environmental goals, reflecting the spirit of Target 17.17.

3.0 Project Implementation and Milestones

3.1 Site History and Rationale

The project site, located where Sonoma Creek meets San Pablo Bay, has been ecologically degraded by over a century of hydraulic mining and agricultural operations. Levees and sediment buildup created stagnant wetlands unsuitable for native wildlife and prone to mosquito breeding. The project aims to reverse this degradation by restoring natural tidal hydrology.

3.2 Project Phases

Implementation was conducted in two main phases:

1. Phase 1 (2015): This phase involved excavating a 4,550-foot tidal channel. The excavated soil was beneficially reused to construct habitat mounds and a wetland-upland transition ramp, providing high-tide refuge for wildlife.
2. Phase 2 (2020): This phase extended the central channel by an additional 1,150 feet, constructed more marsh mounds, removed rock sills to improve water flow, and enlarged existing channels to enhance drainage in previously impounded areas.

3.3 Policy Impact

A significant outcome of this project was its influence on the Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s (BCDC) restoration policy. It helped streamline the permitting process for the beneficial use of dredge spoil in future restoration projects, creating a pathway for more efficient and sustainable habitat creation.

4.0 Collaborative Framework and Support

The success of this project is a testament to a robust partnership model, aligning with SDG 17. Key funding and support were provided by a diverse group of stakeholders.

4.1 Project Partners and Consultants

• Lead Partners: Audubon California, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marin Sonoma Mosquito Control District.
• Consultants: Wetlands and Water Resources, Inc., Gillenwater Consulting, LLC, ESA Associates.
• Construction: Hanford ARC.

4.2 Funding and Support Entities

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant
• California Wildlife Conservation Board
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
• California State Coastal Conservancy
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Marin-Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District
• San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge
• Point Blue Conservation Science – STRAW program
• Individual donors and volunteers

1. Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• The project directly addresses water quality by restoring the natural hydrology of the marsh. The article states a project goal is to “improve water quality by increasing circulation and drastically reducing the amount of pesticides applied to areas of ponded water that currently facilitate heavy mosquito production.” This aligns with the goal of improving water quality and protecting water-related ecosystems.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The project contributes to making human settlements more resilient to climate-related disasters. The article mentions that the creation of a “high marsh transition zone” and “habitat ‘marsh mounds'” will “reduce storm surge flooding of adjacent private lands,” thereby protecting nearby communities from the impacts of climate change.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• This is a central theme of the project. The article explicitly states that the project is designed to “ensure the marsh and its wildlife will be better adapted to withstand climate change in the future, particularly from sea level rise and storm surges.” This directly relates to strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• The project focuses on the restoration and protection of a coastal ecosystem (tidal marsh). The article highlights that the project will “enhance 400 acres of tidal marsh habitat,” improve “tidal exchange and nutrient cycling,” and provide “spawning and feeding grounds for endangered and commercial fishes” like Coho salmon and steelhead.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• The project is a direct action to restore a wetland ecosystem and halt biodiversity loss. The article details how the restoration will “benefit birds such as Ridgway’s Rails, Black Rails, migratory waterbirds, and a number of marsh songbirds, along with the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse and native plants,” thus protecting threatened species and their habitats.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The project includes an educational component. The article notes that the “implementation of the project has also provide hands-on educational opportunities for students who would not otherwise experience natural history in the field setting,” contributing to education for sustainable development.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The project is a clear example of a multi-stakeholder partnership. The article identifies a collaboration between “Audubon California, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Marin Sonoma Mosquito Control District” and lists numerous funding partners, including government agencies (EPA, California Wildlife Conservation Board) and non-profits (National Fish and Wildlife Foundation), demonstrating a partnership to achieve sustainable development.

2. Specific SDG Targets

1. Target 6.6: Protect and restore water-related ecosystems.

   • The article describes a project to “enhance 400 acres of tidal marsh habitat,” which is a direct action to restore a water-related ecosystem (wetland) that had been degraded by “mining and agricultural operations.”

2. Target 11.5: Reduce the number of people affected by disasters, including water-related disasters.

   • The project’s design includes features that “will reduce storm surge flooding of adjacent private lands,” directly contributing to the protection of communities from water-related disasters.

3. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.

   • A primary goal of the project is climate change adaptation. The article states the project demonstrates “how to ensure the marsh and its wildlife will be better adapted to withstand climate change in the future, particularly from sea level rise and storm surges.”

4. Target 14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems.

   • The project is centered on restoring a tidal marsh, a critical coastal ecosystem. The construction of a “network of tidal channels” is intended to “drastically improve tidal exchange and nutrient cycling and provide habitat to a myriad of marsh-dependent wildlife species.”

5. Target 15.5: Take urgent action to halt the loss of biodiversity and protect threatened species.

   • The project aims to provide habitat for and benefit numerous species, including the “endangered salt marsh harvest mouse” and birds like “Ridgway’s Rails, Black Rails.” The creation of “high tide refuges for rails, shorebirds, and small mammals” is a specific action to protect these species.

6. Target 4.7: Ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.

   • The project provides “hands-on educational opportunities for students” through partnerships like the “Point Blue Conservation Science – STRAW program (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed),” which directly aligns with this target.

7. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

   • The article showcases a partnership involving non-profits (Audubon California), government agencies (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA), and local districts (Marin Sonoma Mosquito Control District), supported by a wide range of funders, embodying the spirit of this target.

3. Mentioned or Implied Indicators

1. Indicator for Targets 6.6, 14.2, 15.1: Extent of water-related ecosystems under restoration.

   • The article provides a quantitative measure: the project aims to “enhance 400 acres of tidal marsh habitat.” The progress updates also quantify the length of tidal channels constructed (“4,550-ft long tidal channel” in Phase 1 and “an additional 1,150 linear ft” in Phase 2).

2. Indicator for Target 15.5: Status of threatened species.

   • While not providing data, the article implies that the success of the project can be measured by its benefit to specific species. An indicator would be the population health and numbers of “Ridgway’s Rails, Black Rails… [and] the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse” within the restored habitat.

3. Indicator for Target 6.3: Proportion of water bodies with good ambient water quality.

   • The article implies an indicator related to water quality improvement. It states a goal is “drastically reducing the amount of pesticides applied.” Therefore, a measurable indicator would be the reduction in pesticide volume used in the area post-restoration compared to pre-restoration levels.

4. Indicator for Target 13.1 / 11.5: Implementation of local disaster risk reduction strategies.

   • The project itself is a local strategy. The creation of a “gently-graded high marsh transition zone” and “habitat ‘marsh mounds'” are tangible outputs that serve as indicators of implemented adaptation and resilience measures.

5. Indicator for Target 4.7: Number of students reached by educational programs.

   • The article mentions the involvement of the “STRAW program (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed).” An implied indicator is the number of students and teachers who participate in the “hands-on educational opportunities” offered by the project.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: audubon.org