Wye Wetlands Restoration

Climate change is threatening Bolinas Lagoon and its surrounding communities. With three to five feet of sea level rise predicted over the next century, many of the lagoon's important tidal wetlands will frequently be underwater.

Bolinas Wye Wetlands Restoration will help make this wetland resilient to sea level rise through the end of the century. It will support fish and wildlife that rely on the wetland habitats. And it will aid residents and visitors who depend on roadways going in and out of Bolinas.

This project is the result of many years of planning and community engagement. Construction began in 2024 and will take two years. It is scheduled to be completed by early 2026.

Year one construction has been completed:

• Olema Bolinas Road realignment and new bridge construction
• Lewis Gulch Creek realignment and stabilization
• Floodplain restoration

Construction is wrapping up for the season at Bolinas Wye. During winter and early spring the site will be monitored, especially during heavy rains. Work on the two-year project is expected to resume in June 2025. This is a sensitive habitat. Drive with caution. Do not stop, enter, or park in the work area.

Crews completed temporary paving to widen the Fairfax-Bolinas Road extension. This will allow for the closure of Olema Bolinas Road at Hwy 1 for the year as the new bridge, intersection, and creek improvements are constructed.

Temporary lane closures were put in effect in the area of the Bolinas Wye. For the safety of the workers, drivers are advised to slow down and not park along the road.

Anvil Builders was awarded the contract for road, creek, and bridge work on the Wye Wetlands project.

Conservation Corps North Bay and Hanford, Inc. removed invasive cape ivy in the area of the Olema-Bolinas Road/Route 1 Intersection, late March through April. Wildlife biologists conducted surveys in advance, to ensure no bird or bat nests, or other young wildlife, were disturbed. Marin County Parks and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy supervised the work.

On October 24, 2023 the Open Space Board of Directors authorized two two grant agreements in support of this project:

• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant for $3,675,600
• Wildlife Conservation Board grant for $3,142,000

Parks hydroecologist and restoration planner Veronica Pearson was interviewed on KWMR - West Marin Community Radio about efforts to restore wetlands at the west end of Bolinas Lagoon and reduce the chance of flooding on the only road to Bolinas.

Marin County supervisors approved an additional $325,000 for design and permitting work in support of the Bolinas Wye Wetlands project. Outside grant funds are covering nearly the entire cost of implementing this project.

The Board of Supervisors authorized execution of a grant agreement in the amount of $339,000 with the Ocean Protection Council for final design of the Bolinas Lagoon Wye Wetlands Project.

An update on the Wye Wetlands Resiliency Project was presented at the Bolinas Lagoon Advisory Council Meeting on October 16, 2020.

The Board of Supervisors approved moving forward with the preparation of construction documents for the Bolinas Wye Wetlands project. The scope of work includes hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, development of design alternatives, design development and construction documentation for stream restoration and realignment, road realignment and road design, bridge design, right-of-way engineering and traffic management, public presentation, project management, and coordination.

• Recommendation to the Board

The Bolinas Lagoon Advisory Council hosted The State of Bolinas Lagoon event on May 2, 2019 at Stinson Beach Community Center. Participating partners included:

• Audubon Canyon Ranch
• California Trout
• College of Marin
• County of Marin
• Greater Farallones Association
• National Marin Sanctuaries
• National Park Service
• One Tam
• Point Blue Conservation Science

The Conceptual Design Report for the Bolinas Wye Wetlands area was presented to the Board of Supervisors on February 27, 2018. The Board directed staff to proceed with recommended design and the environmental review of Phase 1.

• Staff Recommendation to the Board
• Staff Presentation to the Board
• Final Conceptual Design Report

The draft Conceptual Design Report for the Bolinas Wye Wetlands area was discussed at the Bolinas Lagoon Advisory Council (BLAC) Special Meeting on September 29, 2017. The meeting was held at Audubon Canyon Ranch, Volunteer Canyon, 4800 Highway 1, Stinson Beach, and was open to the public. At this meeting the BLAC provided a recommendation to the Marin County Board of Supervisors.

• Draft Conceptual Design Report pdf

At the State of the Bolinas Lagoon Conference on March 30, 2017, three conceptual design alternatives for Bolinas Wye Wetlands improvements were proposed and members of the public offered feedback. Additional opportunities to comment on this project were offered at the Bolinas Lagoon Advisory Council and the Marin County Board of Supervisors public meetings.

• State of the Lagoon Presentation pdf
• Phase I: Site Conditions Report pdf
• Phase II: Draft Alternatives pdf
• Draft Alternative 1 pdf
• Draft Alternative 2 pdf
• Draft Alternative 3 pdf
• Presentation for Tasks 1 and 2 pdf

The Open Space District Board of Directors certified the Bolinas Lagoon Wye Wetlands Resiliency Project IS/MND to its Board of Directors, along with project approval, at their regular meeting on October 10, 2023. All comments received on the IS/MND and MCOSD's responses were included in the material provided to the Board of Directors for their consideration.

• Response to Public Comments pdf
• Revised Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration pdf
• Mitigation Monitoring and Report Plan pdf

The Marin Open Space District (MCOSD) has prepared a draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the proposed Bolinas Lagoon Wye Wetlands Resiliency Project. The IS/MND provides information regarding the setting of the project area, the project description, analysis of any potentially significant environmental impacts that could result from implementation of the proposed project, and mitigation measures to reduce potentially significant environmental impacts to a less than significant level. Mitigation measures have been included to address potentially significant impacts in the Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, and Transportation topic areas. The IS/MND concludes that, with implementation of the mitigation measures, the proposed project would not result in significant environmental impacts.

• Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration pdf
• Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration pdf

The public comment period took place July 5, 2023, 8:30 a.m. to August 8, 2023, 5:00 p.m.

Since the early 19th century, land use changes have altered the historical shoreline and watershed of Bolinas Lagoon's tributaries. At the North End of the lagoon, creeks have been highly altered, which has resulted in a loss of riparian habitat and stream function. During the winter roads regularly flood and are a barrier to anadromous fish passage. With sea-level rise, flooding will be more frequent, and there will be a greater loss of wetlands and habitat for sensitive species.

Bolinas Lagoon, a Wetland of International Importance, contains over 1,100 acres of marsh, mudflats, and subtidal and intertidal lagoon habitat that supports a variety of special status plant and animal species. Bolinas Lagoon's ecological significance and complexity require careful planning to ensure the soundness of restoration activities. The Marin Open Space District has primary responsibility for managing the lagoon's resources.

The Bolinas Lagoon Wye Wetlands Resiliency Project was developed as part of the larger Bolinas Lagoon North End Project, which aims to re-establish and rehabilitate hydrologic, geomorphic, and ecologic processes; improve habitat connectivity; increase wetland SLR resiliency; improve special-status species’ habitat; and, protect community safety by moving roads out of flood inundation areas.

The Bolinas Wye Wetlands Resiliency Project is a critical piece of this larger vision and includes key components which must take place before these broader goals can be met. Addressing infrastructure impediments is a crucial first step to restoring the north end of Bolinas Lagoon and for the longer-term vision for the North End Project. The Project is the driver for sea level rise adaptation and preventing the loss of important tidal wetlands at this site. This standalone project offers great ecological benefits and can be completed separately from the larger Bolinas Lagoon North End Project. It is an important first step for that larger effort.

Management and restoration of Bolinas Lagoon is shared with other agencies that have jurisdiction over the lagoon and its watershed, including:

• Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
• Golden Gate National Recreation Area
• Point Reyes National Seashore

Read more about Preserving Bolinas Lagoon: United to Protect a National Treasure pdf