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Dutch Treat for the Delta

Twelve hundred acres of farmland near Oakley could soon become a unique restoration and research site, but environmentalists worry that unless CALFED acts quickly, the opportunity will be lost and thousands of housing units will occupy the property instead.

The Natural Heritage Institute, The Conservation Fund and the Coastal Conservancy have submitted a proposal to CALFED that would allow for the purchase and restoration of more than thirty miles of shoreline, including tidal, riparian, seasonal wetland and upland habitat. CALFED is a federal-state program working to balance water supply needs with environmental restoration in the Bay-Delta Estuary and its watershed. Dutch Slough, as the area is called, may be the only large-scale site in the western Delta with an elevation suitable for immediate tidal marsh restoration, says Natural Heritage's John Cain. It is also one of the few opportunities to restore tidal marsh in the western Delta, where most native fish congregate. "It's ideally situated — everything has to swim past it," says EPA's Bruce Herbold.

Even more compelling than the site's restoration potential, however, may be its research and adaptive management potential. The site encompasses three parcels, separated by sloughs, with similar area, topography and shape that can be managed independently — a setup that would allow scientists to test and compare different restoration strategies. "The site is unique from the standpoint of adaptive management, which is an essential part of the CALFED plan," says Cain. The project would be designed as a series of experiments to test key restoration hypotheses regarding hydrodynamics, salinity, temperature and other physical regimes. "We could use the site as a nice experimental tool to see what really works," says Herbold.

The project faces little if any opposition, but does face a development threat. The area has been farmed for more than a century, but was rezoned for development in 1990. In 1997, the families that own the land entered into a development agreement with Contra Costa County that would allow for the construction of 4,500 to 9,800 housing units on the property. They have, however, agreed to sell the land to CALFED for $28 million — some $10 million to $20 million less than it has been appraised at, but still a hefty price tag. "The bad news about the site is that it is expensive to acquire because it is zoned for development," says Cain. "The good news is that because of its elevation, it will be inexpensive to restore — unlike many Delta properties, it's partially above sea level." The estimated final cost of the project is $30,000 per restored acre.

Cain says it is critical that CALFED make a commitment to the project soon. "If CALFED doesn't demonstrate that it has the interest and resources to acquire the land, the landowners plan to go ahead with their previous plan to develop the land," he says. CALFED is scheduled to rank the project on its technical merits by late January, after which there will be a six-week public comment period.

Proponents of the project say CALFED should do whatever it takes to make sure the opportunities offered by the site are not missed. "It would be hard to find another spot quite so built for what CALFED needs to do," says Herbold "But if we don't do something quickly, it's going to be covered in little pink houses."

Contact: John Cain (510) 644-2900

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