Comment by kristin ransom - NOAA federal: do not alter this title - this is a GMD requirement

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $1.5 million to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation under the Coastal Zone Management Estuarine Research Reserves program (CFDA 11.420) on October 1, 2025, for levee removal and boardwalk construction at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. The award funds permitting and engineering services for a new accessible boardwalk, deconstruction of an aging pedestrian levee on the South Marsh Complex, and construction of the replacement boardwalk structure. The project period extends through September 30, 2027, with total obligations of $2,142,857 including non-federal cost-share.

The project delivers multiple public and environmental benefits aligned with the Reserve's management objectives. By removing the failing levee infrastructure, the work addresses visitor safety concerns while restoring tidal flow within the marsh habitat and improving water quality. The new boardwalk construction simultaneously enhances public access to reserve trails and visitor amenities while mitigating infrastructure vulnerability to rising sea levels. These improvements support the Reserve's dual mandate of increasing public awareness and understanding of the Elkhorn Slough ecosystem while advancing habitat restoration and coastal resilience goals across the California coastal region.

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing $1,500,000 in federal funding to the state of california through the national estuarine research reserve system (nerrs) land acquisition and construction program for fiscal year 2025 (NOAA-NOS-OCM-2025-29258). This funding will build the ability of the elkhorn slough national estuarine research reserve within the elkhorn slough foundation to remove a failing levee on the south marsh complex. The proposed work includes permitting and engineering of the new boardwalk and levee removal, deconstruction of the aging south marsh pedestrian levee, and the construction of a new boardwalk across the span. The removal of this failing levee will address safety and environmental concerns and will move the reserve towards meeting its management goal of increasing awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the elkhorn slough reserve by improving access to the reserve trails while removing or elevating infrastructure facing rising sea levels. Additionally, these improvements are seen as marsh habitat improvements as they will remove impediments to tidal flow within the tidal footprint. This project continues the reserves effort to improve safe access for its visitors while improving habitat and water quality.