CARDIFF-BY-THE-SEA — The San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy announced Wednesday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued the federal permits necessary to proceed with a massive ecological restoration of the San Elijo Lagoon, clearing a critical regulatory hurdle for what will be the largest wetland restoration project in San Diego County history. The project, decades in the planning, will restore tidal flow, remove invasive species, and rehabilitate over 150 acres of degraded wetland habitat.
The San Elijo Lagoon, a 979-acre ecological reserve nestled between Cardiff-by-the-Sea and Solana Beach along Manchester Avenue, is one of the last remaining coastal wetlands in Southern California. However, decades of upstream development, sedimentation, and restricted tidal flow have severely degraded the lagoon's ecological health. Channels have silted in, invasive plants have overtaken native species, and water quality has declined to the point where large portions of the lagoon are ecologically non-functional.
San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy Executive Director Doug Gibson described it as a generational project, noting that the organization has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore the lagoon to ecological health — to bring back the fish, the birds, and the native plant communities that make the area so special. The federal permits, he said, were the last major piece of the puzzle.
Scope and Timeline
The restoration project involves dredging approximately 300,000 cubic yards of accumulated sediment, widening tidal channels to restore natural water circulation, removing stands of invasive species including salt cedar and pampas grass, and replanting native coastal sage scrub and salt marsh vegetation. The project will also raise portions of the Coast Highway 101 bridge to improve tidal exchange between the lagoon and the ocean.
Ecological benefits are expected to be profound. Restored tidal flow will improve water quality, support returning populations of native fish including the endangered tidewater goby, and create critical nesting habitat for migratory shorebirds along the Pacific Flyway. The lagoon's trail system, one of the most popular hiking and birding destinations in North County, will be enhanced with new interpretive features and improved accessibility.
Construction is anticipated to begin in 2018, with the full restoration expected to take approximately three years. The total project cost is estimated at approximately $120 million, funded through a combination of federal, state, and local sources, including TransNet environmental mitigation funds and Coastal Conservancy grants. For the Cardiff community, the restoration represents a commitment to preserving the natural heritage that defines life along this stretch of the San Diego coast.