San Francisco Estuary

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An important concern the San Francisco Estuary has is on the biodiversity of plants and animal species, as well as the quality of water and the management of the watershed. With the increase of habitat restoration, ecosystems are able to not only maintain but also increase their biodiversity levels. The San Francisco Estuary relies on the focus of restoration in the marsh, wetlands, salt pond, and even reusing dredge materials in many different regions of the estuary. The San Francisco Estuary works with the enhancement and protection of habitats in order to support the recovery of native fish and wildlife species, controlling the invasive species, and assisting in practicing fish friendly farming (San Francisco Estuary Partnership, n.d.).

The San Francisco Estuary has made many great strides to conserve and improve biodiversity, the downfall being that this progress is slow moving, even more so on the difficult problems for example attempting to reduce the urban runoff pollution. However, the issue with funding plays a pivotal role in the slow progression. The constant sediment cycling and supply cause the problem of erosion, which in turn can affect the restoration of the wetlands and increase the growth of certain algae negatively impacting the water quality and human recreational activities (San Francisco Estuary Partnership, n.d.). I would conclude that the San Francisco Estuary Project is attempting to maintain the biological diversity, but hitting many walls with the funding cuts. If the area’s population would help to facilitate volunteers as well as help to promote funding the San Francisco Estuary would be able to move forward at a faster rate.

The San Francisco Estuary project plays a pivotal role in restoring and maintaining the ecosystems habitats, health, and quality of water for the surrounding bay area. Even with the increasing growth in human population and the strain it places on the resources, waste and pollution challenges it brings with it, the people maintain their efforts to maintain the balance between agriculture and environment. Damage and destruction to the Estuary is mainly human induced from various industrial and agricultural activities, but nonetheless its biodiversity continues to thrive despite its shortcomings. Focus on habitat restoration and wildlife recovery within the Estuary has improved its biodiversity and ecosystem health, though progress is slow due to funding constraints. Future projects and action plans are in place to continue the restoration and protection of the San Francisco Estuary in hopes that funding will increase and progress will hasten.

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References

Cohen, A. (2000, December). An Introduction to the San Francisco Estuary. Retrieved from https://www.savesfbay.org/sites/default/files/Intro_to_the_Estuary.pdf

San Francisco Estuary Partnership. (n.d.). Fish & Wildlife Recovery. Retrieved from http://www.sfestuary.org/our-projects/fish-and-wildlife-recovery/

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2016, May). The National Estuary Program Coastal Condition Report - Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/P1005FQB.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=2006+Thru+2010&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C06thru10%5CTxt%5C00000011%5CP1005FQB.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=p%7Cf&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL

What's Next? (2011). The State of San Francisco Bay, 69-72. Retrieved from http://sfep.sfei.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/9WhatsNext_SOB2011.pdf