California's Largest Wetlands Project

A historic moment for the complex and ambitious Bolsa Chica restoration project.

1 minute read

August 30, 2006, 2:00 PM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"Once slated to be developed into an oceanfront housing tract, the wetlands were spared by environmentalists who lobbied for both money and political support to restore the marshland...The restoration project included scooping out 2 million cubic yards of sediment and building jetties, two bridges spanning the 360-foot-wide inlet, and several public viewing areas...

...Now linked to the ocean, the wetlands area along Pacific Coast Highway will rise and fall with the ebb and flow of the tide. The ocean water, biologists say, will be a fast-acting medicine, bringing marine life and additional migratory birds back to the wetlands.

The wetlands already are home to roughly 200 species of birds, including threatened ones, such as the California least tern and the light-footed clapper rail.

The restoration work undoes the effort of turn-of-the-century duck hunters who walled off the ocean in an effort to create ponds to make it easier to catch their prey...Now, wetlands are recognized as vital filters for urban runoff, stopovers for migrating birds and habitats for endangered species...

At one time, as many as 4,884 homes were proposed for the wetlands, which developers argued were so degraded they were beyond any restoration effort."

Friday, August 25, 2006 in The Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

View of rotating restaurant tower in downtown San Antonio, Texas through older brick high-rise buildings.

San Antonio Remains Affordable as City Grows

The city’s active efforts to keep housing costs down through housing reforms and coordinated efforts among city agencies and developers have kept it one of the most affordable in the nation despite its rapid population growth.

15 minutes ago - Governing

Close-up on U.S. Forest Service plaque.

What Forest Service Cuts Mean for Cities

U.S. Forest Service employees work on projects that have impacts far beyond remote, rural wilderness areas.

1 hour ago - Greater Greater Washington

Two yellow and white Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail streetcars at station in Dallas, Texas.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region

At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

2 hours ago - KERA News