ponds

Open-File Report 2026–1064

Ecosystems Mission Area—Land Management Research Program and Species Management Research Program

This report presents the results of fish surveys and water quality monitoring conducted throughout 2022, 2023,

Executive Summary

This report summarizes waterbird and water quality monitoring efforts by the San Francisco Bay Bird
Observatory between September 2024 and May 2025 at 82 ponds within the South Bay Salt Pond

ABSTRACT

Historically, San Francisco Bay supported the largest salt pond complex on the Pacific coast of North America, and these areas have been used by large numbers of migrating and wintering waterbirds for more than a century.

FINAL REPORT

Suggested citation: Burns, G. 2022. South Bay Salt Pond Waterbird Surveys: September – May 2022. Report prepared for the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Abstract

The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project aims to restore many former salt production ponds, now managed for wildlife and water quality, to tidal marsh.

A yearly snapshot of Project milestones and assessment of progress toward meeting restoration, public access and flood management goals

A yearly snapshot of Project milestones and assessment of progress toward meeting restoration, public access and flood management goals

In south San Francisco Bay, former salt ponds now managed as wildlife habitat support large populations of breeding waterbirds. In 2006, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project began the process of converting 50% to 90% of these managed pond habitats into tidal marsh.

There are engineering steps that could be taken to help mitigate the dissolved-oxygen (DO) depletion.

for the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project (SBSPRP or the project) by the University of San Francisco and H. T. Harvey & Associates. This work focused on a key uncertainty affecting the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project planning and adaptive management process (EDAW et al.

The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project plans to convert 50-90% of the former salt evaporation ponds of South San Francisco Bay into tidal marsh habitat. This large-scale habitat restoration may change the distribution, bioavailability, and bioaccumulation of methylmercury.