The california coastal conservancy and humboldt county resource conservation district are receiving $806,990 from the national coastal wetland conservation grant program to implement the MAD river…

The california coastal conservancy and humboldt county resource conservation district are receiving $806,990 from the national coastal wetland conservation grant program to implement the MAD river slough - wadulh lagoon restoration project (project). The project is located near lanphere road in the arcata bottoms area of humboldt county, california. The project consists of the restoration of 48.6 acres of diked, subsided, agricultural wetland to a combination of estuarine and palustrine wetland habitats, including salt marsh, brackish marsh, mudflat, subtidal/intertidal eelgrass habitat, while enhancing and restoring existing riparian forest. Most of the construction work is planned to occur in 2023. Post construction monitoring, adaptive management, riparian plantings, and invasive control activities will occur from completion of construction through the end of 2026.restoration will be carried out by a) dike removal and lowering, b) limited importation of sediment to create salt marsh, c) excavating low-lying areas to eelgrass elevations, d) removal of old agricultural infrastructure, e) earthwork to protect adjacent properties and access road from flooding, and f) invasive species removal and planting of riparian species. The project will be constructed on land that is currently owned by the california department of transportation (caltrans). Caltrans is donating the property to the USFWS humboldt BAY national wildlife refuge. The parcel will be added to the humboldt BAY NWR's wadulh unit, which is located on the northern end of the humboldt BAY barrier spit between MAD river slough and the pacific ocean. The project will increase biodiversity, enhance habitat for endangered species such as salmon, steelhead, tidewater goby, north american green sturgeon, bald eagle, and peregrine falcon. The restoration will contribute to the diversity of wetlands surrounding humboldt BAY. The project will alleviate a flooding risk from the existing dike, which is in poor condition and at risk of imminent failure. Were the dike to fail, the area would revert to mudflat and subject adjacent properties and access roads to tidal flooding. The project will result in the restoration of estuarine and palustrine habitats including 3.8 acres of freshwater marsh, 7.8 acres of riparian forest, 9.8 acres of brackish and salt marsh, 23.7 acres of mudflat, and 3.5 acres of subtidal wetlands, a portion of which is eelgrass habitat. The project has multiple benefits including ecosystem restoration, restoration of a barrier-free living shoreline, endangered fish habitat, habitat for raptors, rare plant habitat, and outdoor education. Informational signage, developed with the local wiyot tribe, will tell the ecosystem story, and acknowledge funders. The project will restore and enhance wetlands and riparian forest to provide nursery habitat for federally and state listed fish species, candidate species and migratory birds.