PWA - Project Detail - Bolinas Lagoon

Bolinas Lagoon provides important coastal environment for a rich variety of bird, fish, plant and wildlife species. The 1,100-acre lagoon, located approximately 15 miles northwest of San Francisco, lies within the boundaries of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and is adjacent to open spaces in the Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. In 1998, the Ramsar Convention recognized the ecological importance of Bolinas Lagoon by designating it a wetland of international significance - the first such designation along the Pacific Flyway.

PWA has been assisting the Marin County Open Space District since the mid-1990s with the development of scientifically-sound and community-supported management plans for the Lagoon. In response to concerns voiced by the community and regulatory agencies, PWA is now collaborating with the District in the re-formulation of the Bolinas Lagoon Ecosystem Restoration Project, an extensive program that proposes to dredge in excess of one million cubic yards of sediment from the Lagoon. The first phase of this re-formulation is to establish thresholds of Lagoon evolution that would trigger intervention measures. The prediction of these future evolutionary thresholds is established through the use of sediment budget analysis and applied geomorphic tools. Throughout this process, PWA has promoted an ongoing dialogue with diverse stakeholder groups that include the public and the scientific community.

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Title		Morphologic Evolution and Resource Management at Bolinas Lagoon (pdf) 407KB
Project Summary		PWA has been assisting the Marin County Open Space District since the mid-1990s with the development of scientifically-sound and community-supported management plans for Bolinas Lagoon.
Date		1996; 1998; 2004–present
Location		Bolinas, CA (West Marin)
Client		Marin County Open Space District

Project Detail		Bolinas Lagoon provides important coastal environment for a rich variety of bird, fish, plant and wildlife species. The 1,100-acre lagoon, located approximately 15 miles northwest of San Francisco, lies within the boundaries of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and is adjacent to open spaces in the Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. In 1998, the Ramsar Convention recognized the ecological importance of Bolinas Lagoon by designating it a wetland of international significance - the first such designation along the Pacific Flyway. PWA has been assisting the Marin County Open Space District since the mid-1990s with the development of scientifically-sound and community-supported management plans for the Lagoon. In response to concerns voiced by the community and regulatory agencies, PWA is now collaborating with the District in the re-formulation of the Bolinas Lagoon Ecosystem Restoration Project, an extensive program that proposes to dredge in excess of one million cubic yards of sediment from the Lagoon. The first phase of this re-formulation is to establish thresholds of Lagoon evolution that would trigger intervention measures. The prediction of these future evolutionary thresholds is established through the use of sediment budget analysis and applied geomorphic tools. Throughout this process, PWA has promoted an ongoing dialogue with diverse stakeholder groups that include the public and the scientific community.