HEADWATERS
Restoring Estuaries
Estuary restoration is key to allow for adequate rearing environment and easier seasonal passage. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Santa Clara River estuary is a high priority site for recovery actions to save the endangered species. Unlike most other basins in Southern California, the Santa Clara River continues to produce steelhead smolts. Unfortunately, the estuary has been dramatically reduced in size (15% of its historical extent) and quality due to land development and hydrologic modifications within the watershed since the 1850’s. Through the Santa Clara River Steelhead Coalition (SCRSC), the Santa Clara River estuary is the focus of a restoration project led by the Wishtoyo Foundation (a Coalition member). In 2015 Wishtoyo completed a feasibility study to expand and enhance estuarine habitat and restore 30 acres. We participated in design workshops to provide material feedback and review during the study. This project fulfills an immediate steelhead recovery need, while through the SCRSC, CalTrout is collectively assessing long-term and large-scale estuary restoration objectives in light of sea level rise and climate change, along with our partners– the California Coastal Conservancy, the Nature Conservancy, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Restoration Center.