5/20/11
The California Coastal Conservancy approved $2 million in grants for the Salt River restoration project Thursday, allowing decades of planning to commence later this summer.
First District Supervisor Jimmy Smith said the funding -- which consists of $1million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and $1 million from the conservancy's fund -- is one of the last pieces of the puzzle for the project.
”Today's decisions by the Coastal Conservancy puts us in the position to actually, physically work on the project, and that's a huge, huge step,” Smith said after a meeting at the conservancy's office in Oakland.
With the county's tightening budget, Smith said he and his wife decided to pay for their own travel expenses so that he could thank the conservancy governing board and its staff in person. The board also approved up to $315,000 in funding to acquire a 36-acre property for Martin Slough restoration work, and up to $15,000 for preliminary designs for the Big Lagoon County Park access enhancement project.
The Salt River project is being carried out by the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District, or HCRCD, and is estimated to cost between $12 million to $16 million.
According to a conservancy's staff report, the conservancy has been involved with the project since the late 1980s. The source of the conservancy's grant funding comes from Proposition 84 bond funding related to water quality and supply, as well as flood control, and river and coastal protection.
The project restores the Salt River channel, floodplain and marshland, while also managing the sediments gathered in the river bed.
If the Salt River is restored, it would also help move the water flow for Ferndale's wastewater treatment plant.
The first phase of the project, which involves wetland and upland restoration work on the 440-acre Riverside Ranch property and some channel excavation, is scheduled to begin late this summer and continue into next year. Phase two, which includes channel excavation and restoration, would begin in 2012.
Salt River Ecosystem Restoration Project:
The project restores the Salt River channel, floodplain and marshland, while also managing the sediments gathered in the river bed. The first phase of the project, which involves wetland and upland restoration work on the 440-acre Riverside Ranch property and some channel excavation, is scheduled to begin late this summer and continue into next year. Phase two, which includes channel excavation and restoration, would begin in 2012.
Martin Slough restoration work:
Conservancy funding allows the Northcoast Regional Land Trust to acquire a 36-acre property in the Elk River watershed for the purpose of protecting, restoring and enhancing wetlands, water quality and fish and wildlife habitat while protecting and enhancing coastal agriculture. The property, which is currently used for grazing, is located on Pine Hill Road at the confluence of Martin Slough and Swain Slough.
Big Lagoon access enhancement project:
The project aims to enhance public access at Big Lagoon County Park that will improve compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act standards and reduce impacts to the Yurok Village site O-puyweg. Work will include campground improvements, the decommissioning of a road, trail creation and the installation of a boat wash station.
