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The City of Eureka, California recently completed an ambitious project to enhance 78 acres of diked and drained pastureland to tidal wetland habitat in the Elk River Estuary on Humboldt Bay. The project was partially funded by a National Coastal Wetland Conservation Grant from the Service. The Coastal Program staff in the Arcata Ecological Services Office provided technical review and guidance to the project鈥檚 development team during plan design.
During construction, Eureka determined that there was insufficient fill material required to complete construction of protection levees. The Coastal Program stepped in on an emergency basis and developed plans for obtaining the required fill by adding three tidal ponds into the project. The ponds were designed to create rearing and refuge habitat for juvenile fish and the endangered Tidewater Goby.
Post-project monitoring documented the biological value of off-channel pond habitat, which supports a more diverse community and a higher number of fish. A total of 21 fish species and three crustacean species were documented within the project area. Several endangered and threatened species such as Tidewater Goby, Longfin Smelt, and Coho Salmon and the greatest numbers of fish were located within the ponds.
Lessons learned from the Elk River Estuary Project are being used to inform the design of future tidal marsh restoration projects around Humboldt Bay. In addition, Eureka is benefitting from a new hiking trail between Humboldt Bay and the marsh. The project area is also a local hot spot for birders who have identified 155 bird species in the project area since the project was completed.
