This document summarizes the importance of wetland restoration in San Francisco Bay. It discusses how wetlands were filled in starting in 1850 due to pollution and development, but restoration efforts since 1998 have helped restore over 100,000 acres of wetlands. Wetland restoration provides key benefits like habitat for fish and wildlife, filtering of pollutants, erosion control, flood prevention, and carbon absorption. The document also recommends prohibiting development in undeveloped shorelines vulnerable to sea level rise in order to provide opportunities for wetland habitat restoration. Photos illustrate threatened baylands, flood risks, sea level rise impacts, and examples of terraced levees and wetland restoration projects.

1. Planning
Matters

2. Wetlands Past … and Present
(1850)
(1998)

3. Pollution & Bay Fill
Clean Bay
Project

4. Restoring San Francisco Bay

5. For the Bay: 100,000 Acres

6. For the Bay: 100,000 Acres

7. Importance of Restoration
• Provide Habitat for Fish & Wildlife
• Filter out Pollutants & Toxins
• Responding to Sea Level Rise
– Erosion Control & Flood Prevention
– Absorb CO2 and Greenhouse Gases
• Recreation Opportunities
• Enhance Quality of Life & Local Economy

8. “raising and allocating resources for the restoration,
enhancement, protection, and enjoyment of wetlands and
wildlife habitat in the San Francisco Bay and along its
shoreline.”

9. • Prohibiting development is recommended in undeveloped shoreline vulnerable to sea
•Prohibiting development is recommended in undeveloped shoreline vulnerable to sea
level rise containing opportunities for habitat / wetland restoration
level rise containing opportunities for habitat / wetland restoration (p. 74)
• Agencies “should generally not plan, develop, or build any new significant structure”
•Agencies “should generally not plan, develop, or build any new significant structure”
where that structure will require significant protection from sea-level rise, storm surges,
where that structure will require significant protection from sea-level rise, storm surges,
or coastal erosion.
or coastal erosion. (p. 73)

10. Threatened Baylands
Photo: Ian Umeda / SF Public Press

11. Flood Protection?

12. Inundation
Frank’s Dump West - New Year’s Eve 2005
8.9 ft tides; 40mph winds
Photo: Mark Taylor / Courtesy Jeremy Lowe

13. Sea Level Rise

15. Terraced Levee: Harnessing
Natural Benefits
::: Hargreaves Associates

17. Bair Island – National Wildlife Refuge

19. Thank You
Stephen Knight
sknight@savesfbay.org * 510/463-6812