Ecological Restoration, Water Quality Improvement, and Flood Resilience: A Case Study of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project

Abstract

South San Francisco Bay is an important ecological area in the region. It is home to many migratory birds and has been a buffer against coastal flooding. Land reclamation in the last century has however destroyed this area. Consequently, this affected many species, water quality, and the natural function of flood regulation. To tackle this issue, the local government, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and colleges worked together to create the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. The research findings of this paper, the project aims at restoring salt ponds into tidal wetlands. The objective of this study is to obtain an assessment of the project’s success in terms of habitat restoration, water quality improvement and adjustment of flood control, and to offer useful views and suggestions for future studies to assist guiding and influence the efforts of future restoration programs as well as ecological studies in comparable coastal wetland areas.