Elkhorn Slough Foundation

The Research and Monitoring (RAM) program on the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ESNERR) is the primary vehicle for conducting water quality monitoring, habitat monitoring, and biological monitoring on the Reserve and throughout the Elkhorn Slough Watershed. The research and monitoring team has also been responsible for the publication of a series of peer-reviewed scientific publications, listed on the website: https://elkhornslough.org/reserve/research. This is an ongoing program funded by grants from NOAA and various state and federal agencies supporting restoration science. Elkhorn Slough Foundation administers these funds for the benefit of ESNERR and slough conservation in concert with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. During the FY24-25 fiscal year, the Research team co-authored ten papers in scientific journals, studied metal contamination resulting from the Moss Landing Battery Fire, and continued to conduct marsh and oyster restoration in partnership with a local Tribe.

The Tidal Wetland Program (TWP) is a multi-agency effort addressing one of the most critical ecological challenges in the tidal portions of Elkhorn Slough: the dramatic loss of vegetated marshland caused by historic modifications to the slough's hydrology. Collaborating with over 100 scientists, resource managers, local residents, and other stakeholders, TWP has employed an ecosystem-based management approach to halt habitat loss and restore natural functions to the slough system. This effort has resulted in the implementation of more natural tidal flow to the Parson's Slough complex and Whistlestop within the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, protecting over 450 acres of tidal wetlands and keeping public access to the main channel of the slough open.Ongoing work focuses on restoring wetlands through the beneficial reuse of clean sediments to rebuild subsided marshes, while also exploring the potential for carbon sequestration in these restored habitats. One key initiative, the Hester Marsh restoration, is revitalizing 150 acres of formerly diked and degraded marsh. This project involves elevating the subsided marsh plain by adding soil and bringing it to the upper end of the tidal frame to support marsh vegetation. The elevation is designed to accommodate projected sea-level rise well into the next century. Looking ahead, the Tidal Wetland Program plans to integrate infrastructure resilience into its broader ecosystem resilience efforts.