The richardson BAY regional agency's collaboratively restoring eelgrass in richardson BAY to improve water quality and climate resilience project (the project) will implement an urgently needed,…

The Richardson Bay Regional Agency was awarded a $2.78 million project grant from the Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 under the Geographic Programs - San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (CFDA 66.126) to collaboratively restore eelgrass in Richardson Bay. Over four years, the Agency will restore at least 15 acres of eelgrass habitat, implement its Eelgrass Protection and Management Plan, develop a restoration plan, remove marine debris, and engage the community. Two subawards will support these efforts - $100,000 to Audubon California for community engagement and waterbird monitoring, and $100,000 to San Francisco State University for eelgrass restoration expertise. The intended beneficiaries are the living resources of San Francisco Bay and surrounding communities. Completion is set for June 30, 2027.

The richardson BAY regional agency's collaboratively restoring eelgrass in richardson BAY to improve water quality and climate resilience project (the project) will implement an urgently needed, innovative public-private partnership to restore at least 15 acres of eelgrass over four years, provide training for early career conservationists from severely disadvantaged communities, and develop shareable, scalable best-practices for eelgrass restoration in areas of anchor scour. These outcomes will be achieved through six major project tasks: 1 - continued implementation of rbra's eelgrass protection and management plan; 2 - development of a restoration and adaptive management plan; 3 - marine debris removal; 4 - eelgrass restoration, monitoring, and adaptive management; 5 - community support and engagement; 6 - project management. Recent removal of derelict and abandoned vessels and the implementation of a no anchor area/eelgrass protection zone in richardson BAY has created this opportunity for restoration, which is particularly urgent in the face of sea level rise, increasing ocean temperatures, and other threats from a changing climate. Eelgrass is a nature-based solution to these threats - eelgrass beds improve water quality, reduce coastal erosion (by stabilizing sediment and reducing wave energy), sequester carbon, reduce ocean acidification, and provide nursery habitat for commercially, recreationally, and ecologically important marine life (e.g., pacific herring and dungeness crab). This agreement provides federal funding in the amount of $2,782,586. Preaward costs have been approved back to 4/15/2023.activities:to implement the SAN francisco estuary partnership comprehensive conservation and management plan (CCMP), the richardson BAY regional agency will accomplish the following activities: restoration of at least 15 acres of eelgrass in richardson BAY (including adaptive management and monitoring), continued implementation of the richardson BAY eelgrass protection and management plan, development of a restoration and adaptive management plan, marine debris removal, and community engagement and support.subrecipient:subaward to audubon california for community engagement and waterbird monitoring. Subaward to SAN francisco state university, estuary and ocean science center for eelgrass restoration and scientific expertise.outcomes:anticipated deliverables include: continued implementation of rbra's eelgrass protection and management plan by signage demarcating boundaries of the eelgrass protection zone (EPZ) and annual habitat and waterbird monitoring; development of a restoration and adaptive management plan; invoices and quarterly reports describing marine debris removal activities during the previous quarter; 15 acres of eelgrass restored, outreach and education plan for community support and engagement, list of vessels acquired via vessel buyback program and description of disposal efforts, and quarterly and final reports. The intended beneficiaries of this project are the living resources of the SAN francisco BAY and its watersheds and the communities living on and around richardson BAY.