Saving Tidal Marshes in the San Francisco Bay

As sea level rises, wetlands and marshes must move inland, or drown. Conservation groups in the San Francisco Bay region sought to preserve the shoreline of the 1000-acre tidal marsh. They designed a modelling tool to visualize changes in tidal marshes and bird population under various sea levels and sediment supply scenarios. Using this tool, they decided to use reclaimed sediment and build raised islands within marshes to accelerate marsh accretion and provide nesting habitats for birds. The team successfully restored more than 20,000 acres of wetland with a thriving tidal marsh system.