The tijuana river national estuarine research reserve (trnerr) was designated in 1982 and is located in imperial beach, california (a suburb of SAN diego)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $635,456 to the California Department of Parks and Recreation under the Coastal Zone Management Estuarine Research Reserves program (CFDA 11.420) for the period October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. The funds support operations, research and monitoring, education, training, stewardship, and invasive species control activities at the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TRNERR) located in Imperial Beach, California. The reserve, designated in 1982, functions as a natural field laboratory for coastal estuarine ecosystem research and public education. TRNERR activities are guided by the reserve's management plan (approved September 2010) and current strategic plan update under review by NOAA's Office for Coastal Management.

The cooperative agreement funds staff positions including the Reserve Manager, Reserve Education Coordinator, Assistant Reserve Manager, and state park ranger support, along with contracts, supplies, and travel necessary for reserve operations and programs. The California Department of Parks and Recreation provides a cash match of $190,637 through state salary contributions. Additionally, the Tijuana Estuary Foundation (a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit partner) will apply for supplemental NOAA research program grants totaling $436,148 with matching support of $186,921, coordinated with the reserve management team. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service serves as a strategic partner contributing additional federal resources to TRNERR management beyond this award.

The reserve is administered by the california department of parks and recreation (CA state parks; CSP) who is submitting this application for fiscal year 2025 funds to support operations, research and monitoring, education, training, and stewardship, and invasives control activities from october 2025 through september 2027. CA state parks is requesting $444,819 which will be matched by $190,637 from CA state parks in the form of portion of state salaries for the reserve manager, the reserve education coordinator, assistant reserve manager and a state park ranger. California department of parks and recreation contributes additional state resources to trnerr management that are not included in the application. The united states fish and wildlife service (USFWS) is a strategic partner for trnerr management and contributes additional significant federal resources not included in this application. The reserve activities laid out in this operations award will be consistent with (and are guided by) the reserve's management plan, approved september 2010, as well as the draft update, including strategic plan, currently in review with noaas office for coastal management). These federal funds will be used to provide necessary staff, contracts, supplies, and travel as noted in the task descriptions of this application. The reserve's 501C3 non-profit partner the tijuana estuary foundation (foundation), formerly southwest wetlands interpretive association (swia), will be applying for additional NOAA grant money in the amount of $436,148 on behalf of the trnerr to carry out the reserve research program and will provide their own matching support totaling $186,921. All tasks carried out by the foundation and its employees under NOAA grant funds are coordinated with the reserve management team and the SAN diego coast district NOAA grant review team and will be fully integrated with the CSP tasks listed here, so as to provide for seamless reserve operation as described in the january 2011 MOA between CSP and the foundation (swia).