Since the beginning of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project (Project), there has been a
public/private investment of $183 million in the former salt ponds. As a result of this investment:
- 16,500 acres of former salt ponds have been placed in public ownership and saved from private
development. - The former salt ponds have been disconnected from the salt making process.
- An innovative, science‐based, and broadly supported restoration plan was developed within 5
years for the West Coast’s largest tidal wetlands restoration. - Habitat restoration and enhancement is or will be underway in 2010 in 11 South Bay ponds,
comprising 3,081 acres (Island Ponds, SF2, A6, A5/7/8, E8A/9/8X) plus 1,400 acres in the North
Bay at the Napa Plant site. - The restoration design is near completion for the restoration and enhancement of another 3
ponds comprising 472 acres (E12/13, A16). Phase 1 construction is scheduled to be complete in
2012. - New public access to the South Bay will be complete in the next 12 months including a 2.2‐mile
segment of San Francisco Bay Trail adjacent to Moffett Field and interpretive facilities at the
west end of the Dumbarton Bridge. - A number of studies are underway that will help us understand how the Bay and its fish and
wildlife resources are responding to the restoration, resulting in future restoration actions that
are even more cost effective. - We are close to establishing a “Without Project” baseline for the Corps of Engineers’ South San
Francisco Bay Shoreline Study which will clearly quantify the flood risk to Silicon Valley both now
and 50 years in the future, accounting for sea level rise.
Date
2009-08-24
