The dirty business of wetlands restoration
On Oct. 29, the waters of the Suisun Bay breached the levee along the northern shoreline of Martinez and flowed into the Pacheco Marsh. The breach was the culmination of a process that took 18 years, $24 million in funds, and dirt. Lots of dirt. … Like the Pacheco Marsh, many of the Bay Area’s coastal wetlands are degraded after decades of dredging, draining and construction activity. As sea levels rise, restoring them could be a long-term solution to build resilience against flooding, but acquiring enough sediment is proving to be an issue for some restoration teams.