The SAN diego county water authority will restore and enhance approximately 42.5 acres of riparian, wetland, and upland habitat within the SAN luis REY habitat management area (HMA) in SAN diego…

The Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation awarded the San Diego County Water Authority $10.313 million on December 12, 2025, under the WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) program to restore and enhance approximately 42.5 acres of riparian, wetland, and upland habitat within the San Luis Rey Habitat Management Area in San Diego County, California. The project runs through June 30, 2027.

The Water Authority will remove and treat non-native vegetation, particularly giant reed (arundo) that proliferated following the 2017 Lilac Fire, remove agricultural stockpiles and debris, and conduct planting and grading work to establish coastal live oak and sage scrub habitat. The restored habitat will support three threatened and endangered species: the southwestern willow flycatcher, least Bell's vireo, and the arroyo toad. The 48-acre site was historically used for agricultural production and was heavily impacted by the fire, which destroyed native plant species. The restoration will improve floodplain hydraulics and downstream water quality in a developed urban area.

The SAN diego county water authority will restore and enhance approximately 42.5 acres of riparian, wetland, and upland habitat within the SAN luis REY habitat management area (HMA) in SAN diego county, california. This 48-acre HMA project site has historically been used for agricultural production and was heavily impacted by the lilac fire in 2017, which destroyed native plant species and led to proliferation of a non-native giant reed, commonly referred to as arundo, compromising riparian habitat. The county will restore diverse native habitats in riparian, wetland, and upland areas. Work will include removal and treatment of non-native vegetation, removal of agricultural stockpiles and debris, and planting and grading work to create a coastal live OAK and sage scrub habitat. The restored habitat will support three threatened and endangered species, including the southwestern willow flycatcher, least bell?S vireo, and the arroyo toad. The restoration project will create critical native habitats in a developed urban area and will improve floodplain hydraulics and downstream water quality.