Elkhorn Slough Foundation
Conserving and Restoring Elkhorn Slough and its Watershed
Mail: P.O. Box 267 • Moss Landing • CA • 95039
Office: 1698 Elkhorn Road • Watsonville • CA • 95076
Tel: (831) 728-5939 • Fax: (831) 728-7031 • www.elkhornslough.org
Dr. Barry Gold and Ms. Dana Robson
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
300 Second Street
Los Altos, CA 94022
October 13, 2005
Dear Dr. Gold and Ms. Robson:
We are very pleased to submit this proposal for your consideration through the Ecosystem Based
Management Initiative. We are requesting $1.49 M for this work. In developing this proposal,
discussions with you and our partners have challenged us to bring a much broader perspective to
the ecological problems facing Elkhorn Slough. This is a critical time in the history of the
slough. These resources are in serious jeopardy. The fate of the estuarine habitats throughout
the system will be determined in the next several years.
We have come to understand that the historic human-induced changes, particularly tidal erosion
from harbor construction and excessive nutrient inputs, threaten the system from one side and
that jeopardy from narrow solutions to these problems, with possible unintended consequences,
threaten from the other.
The support we are now requesting will allow the implementation of a process for broad
ecosystem thinking needed to insure that conservation actions will truly lead to a healthy,
sustainable estuary.
The team of people tackling this vexing ecological problem is extraordinary. Through the Tidal
Wetland Planning process, we have assembled a ‘brain trust’ of scientists, resource managers,
agency personnel, funders and community members. These participants are engaged and
committed to following through to a successful conservation outcome.
The grant partners form a powerful group for bringing an ecosystem approach to management
decisions and are adept at building tools to do this. We are energized and excited about the
possibilities and look forward to implementing this work with you.
Thank you again for the opportunity to submit this.
Sincerely,
Mark Silberstein
Executive Director, Elkhorn Slough Foundation
Email: silbermud@aol.com
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
1
An Integrated Approach to Understanding and Addressing Threats to
Estuarine Habitats: Ecosystem-Based Management at Elkhorn Slough, California
EBM Regional Initiatives – Implementation Proposal
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Elkhorn Slough, one of California’s premier coastal wetlands, is threatened by alarming rates of marsh
loss from tidal erosion and extraordinary levels of nutrients from upland runoff. Through a planning
process led by the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ESNERR), a number of
strategies have been proposed to arrest or reverse the severe erosion of tidal habitats. The potential
actions involve reducing or modifying tidal flow in Elkhorn Slough. However, several new developments
and discoveries raised concerns that modification of tidal flow could cause unintended negative
consequences, particularly to nutrient dynamics and water quality, which would affect the entire system.
Planning funds provided by the Packard Foundation allowed us to examine the potential of an ecosystembased approach to solving these vexing problems. This implementation proposal is the result. We have
been able to converse with a number of scientists and practitioners of ecosystem-based management
(EBM) and have hosted several meetings of expert panels. We refined our definition of the problems.
We have assembled a remarkable ‘brain trust’ of scientists, resource managers, community members and
agency representatives. The major players in conserving and managing Elkhorn Slough have come to
understand that only an ecosystem-based approach to these intertwined problems will be successful.
Our overarching goal is to conserve and restore Elkhorn Slough estuarine habitats. This proposal brings
together, for the first time, cutting edge technology for mapping and monitoring key elements of the
system and a cadre of experts from the physical, natural and social sciences and environmental
economists. Elkhorn Slough provides an outstanding opportunity to apply the principles of ecosystembased management to a high profile environment and to evaluate alternate strategies for addressing issues
of concern.
This initiative will provide critical elements to understand and address the ecological problems facing
Elkhorn Slough. We will:
 Predict the future conditions of Elkhorn Slough tidal habitats under different
conservation strategies using integrated hydrodynamic, sediment, and nutrient
models.
 Reexamine ecosystem boundaries for Elkhorn Slough, informed by new data on
inputs from outside the defined watershed.
 Expand water quality monitoring and outline a strategy to institutionalize this
function for guiding adaptive management.
 Fill in key informational gaps required to assess marsh restoration potential,
including a novel spatial analysis of sediment budgets.
 Map ecological assets, functions, and services to estimate socioeconomic values.
 Develop designs and cost estimates for proposed strategies to reducing tidal erosion
and marsh loss.
The outcome of this effort will be the selection of conservation actions to arrest the degradation of Slough
habitats and to restore these habitats and ecosystem functions, with support of all key stakeholders.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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II. BACKGROUND AND PROBLEM DEFINITION
Elkhorn Slough is an exceptional ecosystem on the central California Coast providing a key linkage
between land and sea. The Slough harbors California’s largest tract of tidal salt marsh outside San
Francisco Bay. Elkhorn Slough tidal habitats encompass extraordinary biological diversity, providing
critical habitat for over 135 aquatic bird, 550 marine invertebrate, and 102 fish species (Caffrey et al.
2002). Estuaries like Elkhorn Slough are, however, among the most threatened ecosystems in California,
facing rates of habitat loss between 75 and 90 percent (Dahl 1990, Macdonald 1990, SFB Joint Venture
2001, Zedler 1996). As a result, a disproportionate number of rare, threatened and endangered species
reside in these areas. In the Elkhorn Slough watershed, two dozen species are included in these
categories. Recognizing the value of these resources to the country, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration designated areas of Elkhorn Slough as part of the Monterey Bay National
Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) and as a National Estuarine Research Reserve. The State of California
Department of Fish and Game has also designated parts of Elkhorn Slough as a State Ecological Reserve
and as a Wildlife Management Area. The National Audubon Society includes the Slough in its Globally
Important Bird Areas and the Manomet Bird Observatory named the Slough a Western Hemisphere
Shorebird Reserve. The Nature Conservancy and Elkhorn Slough Foundation have invested in protecting
over 3500 acres of this watershed. These multiple designations and strategic land acquisitions reinforce
the importance of this place as a key conservation asset.
One of the remarkable features of Elkhorn Slough is the diversity of human uses represented in a small
watershed. The Slough hosts the largest electric power generating plant in California and the Moss
Landing Harbor, at the entrance to the Slough, is one of the most active fishing ports in the state. Elkhorn
Slough is flanked by major transportation corridors including three state highways and the main northsouth coastal rail line. One quarter of the land in the Elkhorn watershed is in agriculture and the farms
here produce a significant proportion of the state’s strawberry crop (Scharffenberger 2002). Residential
housing is an increasing factor here while recreational activities, including boating, kayaking, birding and
fishing have increased dramatically over the past decade. The Slough watershed is also home to a great
concentration of marine and coastal research institutes including the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research
Institute, the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research
Reserve.
In the middle of all this intensive human activity is one of the truly remarkable wildlife habitats in the
country. Our challenge is how to sustain these natural resources in the face of multiple uses and
challenges overseen by multiple jurisdictions.
Major Threats to Estuarine Ecosystems of Elkhorn Slough
In 1999, the Packard Foundation funded The Nature Conservancy to undertake the development of the
Elkhorn Slough Watershed Conservation Plan (Scharffenberger 1999). The process of completing this
document involved two dozen stakeholders, was reviewed through the state clearinghouse, and was
adopted by the California State Coastal Conservancy and the Coastal Commission. This plan identified
coastal marsh as a critical resource in the Elkhorn Slough watershed and described the major threats as
the:
(1) loss and conversion of marsh habitat as a result of past human alterations of tidal influence
and hydrology, and
(2) contamination and sedimentation of marshes, due to uncontrolled runoff from cultivated
fields.
While these two problems are not the only threats to Elkhorn Slough ecosystems, they have had the
largest impacts on the estuary and are the key problems we will address through this EBM project.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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Habitat conversion from hydrological alterations
We have seen modifications of coastal lagoons and estuaries world-wide to accommodate various human
uses. Like many systems around the globe, Elkhorn Slough has seen significant reduction in freshwater
inputs by the diversion of river and stream courses. Overdrafting of local groundwater basins, from
industrial, residential and agricultural use, has further reduced freshwater flows (Caffrey, et al. 2003).
Sediment inputs have also been altered, with decreases due to river diversion and some local increases
due to sedimentation from eroding upland slopes (Byrd 2004). The Slough has also suffered extensive
marsh loss from diking for industrial and agricultural uses.
By far the most dramatic impact to Elkhorn Slough tidal habitats has come from the creation of the Moss
Landing Harbor opening in 1947 (Figure 1, page 16). Prior to Harbor construction, the Slough flowed
into Monterey Bay through a shallow, meandering opening that muted tidal exchange. As a result of the
Harbor opening, all areas of the Slough that are not behind levees or dikes are eroding away. This is due
to the increased tidal amplitude and current speeds resulting from the creation of the deep water opening
in direct line with the main channel of the Slough and the head of the Monterey Submarine Canyon.
The increased tidal amplitude dramatically increased the tidal prism of the Slough, and tidal currents
increased concomitantly. This has led to alarming erosion of marshes and in some areas a “drowning” of
intertidal plants from increased submergence times (Figures 2-4). The mean percent cover of salt marsh
vegetation in undiked marshes of the Slough decreased 41% between 1931 and 2003 (VanDyke and
Wasson 2005). Tidal creek banks are being undercut from higher current velocities and collapsing into
the channels. The width of 196 tidal creeks measured throughout the Slough increased by 80% during
this same time period between 1931 and 2003 (VanDyke and Wasson 2005). The main channel of
Elkhorn Slough has likewise been eroding. Dean (2003) found that the mean cross-sectional area of the
main channel increased by 24% in only eight years (1993-2001). These trends contrast dramatically with
the geological history of the Slough that showed it as a depositional environment up to 1947 (Schwartz
1983).
Nearly sixty years after harbor construction, Elkhorn Slough remains in disequilibrium. A panel of
experts convened in May 2005 as part of the Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland planning process concluded
that these trends, if unchecked, will lead to the continued loss of tidal marsh, widening of creeks, and loss
of subtidal benthic communities (Figure 4, Appendix 1). The observed habitat changes directly impact
ecological communities. Connors (2002) reported a loss of shorebird habitat as a result of marsh loss.
Lindquist (1998) showed clear changes in fish communities of tidal creeks and the replacement of
estuarine species with more marine forms. The erosion of soft sediments from subtidal habitats in the
Slough is leading to the loss of gaper clam beds that support sea otter populations in the Slough (J. Oliver,
personal communication). These trends also threaten transportation and flood control infrastructure and
concerns have been expressed about the potential for catastrophic failure of the rail line and roadways.
Diminished water quality due to agricultural pollution
The second major threat to Elkhorn Slough estuarine habitats is excessive nutrient enrichment from
upland runoff. The nitrate consumed in the Slough fuels enough primary production that areas with
restricted tidal flow become suboxic. Waters flowing from Parsons Slough, which contains about 30% of
the Slough volume, showed evidence of hypoxia for the first time in 2005. Actions designed to mitigate
losses of habitat due to erosion by reducing the tidal prism will have to be counter-balanced with an effort
to minimize nutrient inputs and increased eutrophication if the residence time of water within the Slough
is changed.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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In the coastal ocean, the supply of fixed nitrogen (primarily nitrate) is a key process that sets the potential
for plant production (Ryther and Dunstan 1971). The high productivity of coastal seas is enabled by
processes such as coastal upwelling that bring deep, nutrient rich seawater to the surface. However, at the
interface of land and sea, eutrophication (excess growth driven by the input of nutrients from
anthropogenic sources such as urban and agricultural runoff) can have significant, deleterious effects. In
large areas of the Gulf of Mexico, for example, eutrophication has led to the creation of oxygen deficient,
“dead” zones (Rablais et al. 2002). Hypoxic zones are now found worldwide, often with a direct linkage
to inputs of anthropogenic nutrients. In addition to the creation of hypoxic zones, increased nitrate
concentrations in coastal waters are linked to the occurrence of toxin producing Harmful Algal Blooms
(HABs) - (NRC, 2000).
In the Central California region, the coupling of the nitrogen cycle at the land/sea interface is made
particularly acute by the intensity of agriculture. Crop production had a gross value of $3.4 billion dollars
in Monterey County during 2004 (Monterey County 2004). These rich farmlands adjoining the Monterey
Bay are among the most intensely cultivated and fertilized regions of the nation. Groundwater
contaminated with nitrate at toxic concentrations is common. The community of Chualar lost its entire
drinking water supply to nitrate contamination in 1996. Dissolved nitrate concentrations in sloughs that
drain the Castroville area (Tembladero and Moro Cojo) are reputed to have the highest known nitrate
concentrations of any “natural” water body (Caffrey et al. 2002). In shallow regions of Elkhorn Slough
with limited tidal flushing, these extreme nitrate levels drive such high primary production rates that they
have been described as “hyper-ventilating” (Beck and Bruland 2000). During daylight, photosynthesis
drives oxygen to levels that are supersaturated by 300%, while respiration during the dark drives the
system anoxic.
The Land/Ocean Biogeochemical Observatory (LOBO), funded by the NSF Biocomplexity in the
Environment program, is a wireless, chemical sensor network that has been installed in Elkhorn Slough to
monitor the flows of nutrients through this system. Nitrate concentrations observed within the Slough
with this system often exceed values found in the nutrient-rich waters of Monterey Bay by nearly 20-fold
(Figure 5). The LOBO network will ensure that any modifications to tidal flow to conserve tidal
habitats in Elkhorn Slough do not have the unintended consequence of triggering hypoxia. It will also
provide a detailed record of the impacts of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board’s
new policy that requires farmers to monitor the water quality of discharges from irrigated lands.
The Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland Plan
The purpose of the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve’s planning process to develop a
Tidal Wetland Plan (TWP), funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is to
identify hydrological strategies to address tidal erosion and marsh loss. Good progress has been made
during the past year with the collaboration of over a hundred coastal resource managers, representatives
from regulatory entities, key conservation organizations, and scientists (Figure 6). A consensus statement
was developed by the decision-making panel, the TWP Strategic Planning Team, outlining goals for the
conservation and restoration of estuarine habitats (Figure 6, Appendix 2). They identified natural
processes required to sustain a resilient estuary. A working group of TWP scientists, consultants, and
planning team members are in the process of developing potential actions to address the threat of tidal
erosion and marsh loss. These actions to conserve and restore estuarine habitats in Elkhorn Slough will
be subsequently referred to in this proposal as “options” or “strategies” and brief descriptions can be
found in Appendix 3. Even though significant steps have been made in the TWP process, funding
limitations have severely restricted the ability to address the major scientific gaps, make key habitat
predictions, and incorporate the broad ecosystem approach necessary to adequately address these
problems. This implementation funding will allow us to evaluate these potential options within an EBM
framework. Until each of these options is better characterized, in terms of design feasibility, intended
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
5
benefits, potential unintended consequences, and social and economic context, decision-makers cannot
proceed. We cannot adequately inform and involve the community without understanding the long-term
implications of different strategies to reducing marsh loss and nutrient enrichment.
The Need for Ecosystem-Based Management at Elkhorn Slough
There are major challenges to conserving and restoring Elkhorn Slough’s estuarine ecosystem,
particularly from the threats of pollution and hydrological alterations:
1. There are gaps in our knowledge about how specifically ecosystem processes work, interact, and
link to the biological patterns that we observe and the ecosystem services provided.
2. There has not been a common vision of conservation actions to restore and conserve estuarine
habitats.
3. Socioeconomic analyses are lacking and need to be incorporated to evaluate the implications of
different options.
4. The legal, regulatory and political context and the bureaucratic challenges facing decision-makers
need to be explored and mapped in detail.
5. Based on new information, it is likely that the current geographic boundaries will need to be
expanded to include areas outside of the current Elkhorn Slough watershed boundary to fully
address the threats.
6. There is relatively little public knowledge and understanding about the major threats to Elkhorn
Slough estuarine habitats.
Given the geographic scope of this ecologically rich system, the diversity of stakeholders and human
uses, and the complex nature of the problems, an ecosystem-based management approach is required to
successfully work towards sustainable, long-term solutions for Elkhorn Slough’s estuarine ecosystems.
The findings from the studies on ecosystem processes, ecology, and socioeconomics need to be integrated
in such a way that decision-makers and community stakeholders can be at the same table discussing the
tradeoffs of possible options in a meaningful way to arrive at robust, long-term policy decisions. This
requires a well-funded, ambitious initiative integrating multiple scientific disciplines and incorporating a
diversity of views from interested and potentially impacted parties as well as decision-makers. We cannot
meet the challenges described above, and cannot achieve our goal of long-term, sustainable conservation
and restoration of these fragile and rich estuarine ecosystems without such an effort.
III. PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Goal. Our overarching goal is to conserve and restore sustainable estuarine habitats in the Elkhorn Slough
watershed through the application of an ecosystem-based management approach (Figure 7). We will
follow the guidance of the Scientific Consensus Statement on Marine Ecosystem-Based Management
released in March 2005, which outlines many of the steps that are essential for an ecosystem-based
approach to management, and emphasizes the importance of developing a broad geographic perspective,
building interdisciplinary approaches to complex, interacting processes, and directly incorporating human
values in decision-making processes.
In order to achieve our goal, we are proposing two interconnected objectives.
Objective 1. Enhance Key Understanding of Different Conservation Strategies
We will build an interdisciplinary, applied scientific understanding of the most effective strategies to
conserve and restore estuarine habitats in Elkhorn Slough, by developing critical predictions of key
ecosystem processes and services under different conservation strategies for diminishing threats posed by
hydrological alterations and pollution.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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A. Development of Strategies to Predict Tidal Hydrology and Sediment Changes
Tidal hydrology, as determined by climatic and geomorphic factors, is probably the single most important
determinant of processes such as nutrient cycling and sediment deposition and erosion which in turn
influences the establishment and maintenance of tidal habitats and species (Mitsch and Gosselink 2000).
In the past ten years, methods to predict equilibrium conditions for tidal marsh restoration have been
expanded, but there is still a need to develop these tools specifically for each estuary (Williams et al.
2002). We will produce detailed descriptions of possible conservation options, determine the feasibility
based on similar projects, and use models to predict changes to the tidal volume, flow patterns, and rates
of sediment erosion and deposition (Appendix 3). This is the first critical step that underlies all
subsequent components of the proposed work.
B. Interactions of Nutrient Dynamics with Hydrology
The ecosystem impacts of nutrients and hydrology are inextricably linked. It is now recognized that
concentrations of nutrients alone do not regulate ecosystems (Cloern 2001). A variety of other, systemspecific properties act as a filter to modulate the effects of nutrients. Most important of these other
properties is the residence time of water within the ecosystem. If the tidal prism were reduced to
minimize erosion, the increased residence time may lead to greater primary production and increased
eutrophication. For example, nutrient concentrations are much lower in the Chesapeake Bay, when
compared to Elkhorn Slough, but it has a much greater problem with eutrophication due to the long
residence time of Chesapeake Bay waters. The goal of this component is to explore the linkages between
water quality and hydrology under the various options and make recommendations about appropriate
ecosystem boundaries to address pollution.
C. Interactions of Wetland Elevation, Hydrology, and Sediment on Marsh Habitats
Long-term marsh sustainability is dependent on the availability of sediment in conjunction with a
hydrologic regime that is supportive of plant growth. The increased tidal amplitude in the Slough,
resulting from harbor creation, has increased submergence times of intertidal marsh plants.
Understanding the relationship between the altered hydrology, decreased sediment supply and plant
physiology and biology is important to tease apart proximal and distal causes of marsh degradation and
loss. Why are there still healthy marshes in the Slough near areas experiencing total marsh loss? This
understanding will be essential for guiding the conservation, restoration and sustenance of slough marshes
in the future and will likely inform processes in other coastal wetlands.
D. Responses of Biological Indicators to Hydrologic Regime
We will investigate the responses of key species and assemblages to contrasting hydrological regimes in
order to develop predictions about the ecological outcomes of the different options that are being
considered. These will necessarily be broad predictions, but it is critical to develop an understanding of
strong effects on key species of concern in order to inform decision-makers regarding the contrasting
strategies.
E. Estimates of Economic Values and Analysis of Legal and Political Context
We shall perform surveys, collect attendance figures, and do asset inventories, based on the level of
information provided by scientific data collected in this project, in order to assess social and economic
values associated with the unique qualities of Elkhorn Slough. The impacts on these values from the
proposed strategies will be assessed. We will also characterize the political and legal contexts for each
option to identify potential constraints and possibilities for feasibility.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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Objective 2. Select Preferred Conservation Actions
Successful large-scale restoration efforts need to be focused on sustaining ecosystem processes in the
long-term, based on rigorous natural and social science, supported by the community, and feasible both
politically and economically (Diefenderfer et al. 2003, Vigmostad et al. 2005). The first step in the
process of selecting conservation actions will be to incorporate the new scientific findings and predictions
about estuarine processes to see if the strategies meet ecological goals. If they do, then they need to be
evaluated to see what the benefits and costs to humans might be and find out if they are politically astute.
The analyses will be disseminated to coastal resource managers, representatives from regulatory agencies,
and key stakeholders through presentations at meetings and outreach materials so that they fully
understand the implications of different conservation strategies and can provide their input to decisionmakers. We will also create an institutional support structure by designating a lead institution and plan
for continued collaboration to provide long-term support for the implementation of actions that conserve
and restore estuarine habitats in Elkhorn Slough.
IV. PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Objective 1. Enhance Key Understanding of Different Conservation Strategies (Project Activities)
A. Development of Strategies to Predict Tidal Hydrology and Sediment Changes
During the first year, restoration and hydrogeomorphic experts will be hired by the coordinator (Peichel)
to perform a short literature review of similar large-scale restoration techniques that have been used in
other areas of the world and create detailed descriptions of selected large-scale options. For example,
contacts made with scientists and managers working on other large-scale projects in areas such as the
Gulf Coast, New York, and Australia that have seen similar loss and degradation of marshes need to be
pursued. Once the descriptions are completed, modeling experts will be hired to make quantitative
predictions about changes to the tidal hydrology (tidal prism, velocities, etc.) under different options.
Starting in the second year, expert consultants will be hired to use the output of the hydrodynamic
modeling results to predict the likely changes to sediment distribution under the different options. The
predictions will be immediately provided to a joint working group of scientists and resource managers so
that they can be integrated into the decision-making process (Figure 6). Rough estimates for elements
needed to implement each option such as construction costs, timing of environmental review, list of
permits required, and level of maintenance required will also be summarized.
B. Interactions of Nutrient Dynamics with Hydrology
The LOBO system will continue to be operated with NSF and MBARI support through the three-year
period of this proposed project by a Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) senior scientist
(Johnson). This core data set will be used to examine interactions of the nitrogen cycle with changes in
the hydrological cycle that are produced by interannual variations in rainfall, such as the high rainfall in
the 2004/2005 water year that led to a doubling of nitrate concentrations in the Slough (Figure 5). The
observations collected with the core data set will be used to tune hydrological and nitrogen cycle models,
which are also being developed with NSF support. These models can then be used to predict the response
of system properties, such as oxygen concentration, to changes in hydrodynamics. We can then test these
predictions by deploying mobile observing stations in areas with muted flow (such as the Azevedo Ponds
or regions of Parsons Slough). We should also be able to assess the efficacy of the Ag Waiver program,
recently instituted by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, to minimize runoff of
nutrients and other chemicals from farmlands.
The long-term focus of the MBARI group is the development of tools, such as the LOBO system, for
autonomous observations of marine ecosystems. Although the MBARI scientists are committed to
operating the LOBO array during the course of this project, one of our major goals will be to bring the
LOBO observing system to a state where comparable hardware can be routinely used in ecosystem
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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studies throughout the nation. This is a particular need because enhanced nutrient inputs to coastal waters
are a global problem. Funding is requested in years two and three to begin training staff either at the
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories or at ESNERR to operate the system. We view this as a
demonstration project that, if successful, could serve as a national model for other NERR or National
Estuary Program (NEP) systems.
C. Interactions of Wetland Elevation, Hydrology, and Sediment on Marsh Habitats
An examination of current and future wetland sustainability at Elkhorn Slough requiring on-the-ground
site investigation, as well as modeling projections, to encompass larger spatial scales will be conducted by
ESNERR geographical ecologist (Van Dyke and consultant). Site investigation includes an examination
of marsh elevation change, suspended sediments, along with corresponding water levels. Therefore,
stations will be selected to represent different hydrologic conditions (full versus muted tidal flow) in
Elkhorn Slough. At each station a pair of sediment elevation tables (SET) will be installed to measure
how sediments accumulate at healthy marsh sites compared to degraded sites (lacking vegetation). The
SET is a precision-based instrument consisting of a permanent base installed within the marsh and a
detachable measuring arm from which we can obtain a progressive time series of sediment elevation
change. An automatic water sampler and water-level pressure sensors at each SET location will
periodically capture daily and seasonal fluctuations and composition (organic or mineral) of sediments.
Overall, a detailed mechanistic understanding will emerge from our research efforts of marsh surface
processes in areas where there is vigorous versus declining marsh plant growth.
Next we will develop a GIS-based tool that can model various sediment and marsh interactions, arising
from the data we collected from the site investigation. The framework will be based on a high-resolution
digital elevation model encompassing the entire Elkhorn Slough watershed, partitioned by hydrologic
subregions within the Slough’s subtidal and intertidal wetlands and by subwatersheds in the adjacent
uplands. The model will be calibrated to tidal datums using the network of water level pressure sensors
that are correlated with terrestrial elevations through an associated geodetic control network. This will
allow accurate mapping of tidal inundation extent, frequency, and duration. Variables, such as the
addition of sediment to the marsh surface, will be incorporated into the model to predict potential impacts
on wetland habitats from each of the proposed restoration scenarios.
D. Responses of Biological Indicators to Hydrologic Regime
When provided with physical predictions of tidal flow, subtidal bathymetry, intertidal elevation, and
sediment deposition rates under the contrasting options, ESNERR geographical ecologist (Van Dyke) will
develop GIS layers illustrating predicted extent and distribution of salt marsh and other estuarine habitat
types under each scenario. This model will serve as a basis to predict the response of key or
representative species in the estuary with a focus on; birds, submerged aquatic vegetation, oysters and
other important invertebrates, fish, sea otters, and harbor seals.
In order to ground-truth these predictions, ESNERR biologist (Wasson) and collaborators will examine
current responses by these biological indicators to contrasting hydrological regimes at Elkhorn Slough.
Field surveys at sites with full, muted, and minimal tidal flow will provide data on ecological
assemblages under different tidal flow regimes. To the extent that data are available (from Native
American middens, early explorer surveys, etc.), the current assemblages in these habitats will be
compared to a historical baseline. A literature search will also be performed to synthesize relevant studies
of ecological responses by estuarine species to alternative hydrological conditions.
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E. Estimates of Economic Values and Analysis of Legal and Political Context
Several types of social and economic information will be compiled by CSUMB social scientist (Kildow)
to inform decision-making. With the help of the project’s ecologists and hydrologists we will learn about
the value of the Slough including the important ecosystem functions and linked services and assets that
contribute to the health and uniqueness of the Slough, and estimate the values associated with key assets
and services of Elkhorn Slough. We shall identify the range and intensity of human uses of the Slough by
determining the information that is currently available, not available but can be gathered, and information
that cannot yet be obtained but needs to be accounted for. We will also conduct an analysis of the
feasibility of selected options based on investigating previous cases and surveying current local attitudes.
To determine ultimate feasibility of any option, the final decisions must consider the legal, political, and
social constraints that could influence the ability to implement an option. A description and analysis of
the relevant laws, regulations and political entities, and vested interests will indicate the potential
feasibility of each option from this perspective.
Objective 2. Select Preferred Conservation Actions (Project Activities)
We propose to build a robust, integrated EBM framework that integrates the Elkhorn Slough Tidal
Wetland Planning (TWP) process and the Land/Ocean Biogeochemical Observatory (LOBO) elements
with a new, enhanced understanding of tidal hydrology, nutrient and sediment dynamics, marsh habitats
and species, and socioeconomics to make real-world decisions about Elkhorn Slough estuarine habitats.
A. Continuation and Expansion of the Tidal Wetland Planning Process
The Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland Planning (TWP) process has been successful in bringing together over
a hundred resource managers and scientific experts to help address tidal erosion and marsh loss (Figure
6). In order to maintain the momentum and expand the process, we propose to incorporate the new
understanding and tools developed in Objective 1 into our TWP decision-making framework. The TWP
coordinator (Peichel) will hold meetings with coastal decision-makers, agency and nonprofit
representatives, scientists, and community members (smaller working groups and larger joint meetings)
over the three years. The meeting outcomes will focus on topics such as the dissemination of the sciencebased findings (project leads will do this through presentations or other appropriate communication
tools), integration of the data, creation of measurable restoration and conservation objectives, and most
importantly, decisions about preferred conservation actions. During the first few years, experts who have
used decision-making tools for managing natural resources from around the country will be consulted to
learn about the best ways to integrate our information and simulate the possible outcomes of each option.
We have had preliminary conversations with and will continue to explore the possibility of collaborating
with the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) on a system to integrate
scientific information and the MBNMS Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network on map-based visual
tools to support the decision-making process.
B. Long-term Support for Implementation Activities
The long-term support for implementation activities depends both on the continued communication of a
collaborative group of decision-makers (coastal resource managers, nonprofit organizations, local, state,
and federal agency representatives) and community involvement. Oftentimes, there is a lag-time between
the planning phase and the actual implementation of activities which threatens the sustainability of any
group. We propose to create an institutional support structure that clarifies how to sustain a permanent
leadership position and collaborative working group structure to oversee the long-term implemention of
conservation and restoration actions for Elkhorn Slough. This structure will falter, however, without
community support. We intend to engage community members to evaluate what people know about
Elkhorn Slough estuarine habitats and threats, provide information about possible conservation and
restoration options, and address their questions and concerns about the options.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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V. PROJECT OUTCOMES AND DELIVERABLES
Again, our overarching goal is to conserve and restore sustainable estuarine habitats in the Elkhorn
Slough watershed through the application of an ecosystem-based management approach. We will meet
this goal by first evaluating and comparing the likely outcomes of different management options for
tackling the most vexing and overarching problem of tidal erosion, taking into account benefits to habitats
and species, predictions about water quality, socioeconomic values, legal and political constraints, and
feasibility and costs. The most important result will be agreement by Tidal Wetland Plan decision-makers
about preferred conservation strategies that are science-based, politically and economically feasible, and
supported by the community in the long-term.
Objective 1. Enhance Key Understanding of Different Conservation Strategies (Project Outcomes)
A. Development of Strategies to Predict Tidal Hydrology and Sediment Changes
The major outcomes of this objective are:
1. preliminary designs of different options, and
2. accurate predictions of changes to tidal hydrology and sediments under these different options.
If this step is not taken, then decision-makers and the community will not be able to adequately weigh
tradeoffs between options. For example, if changes to tidal currents are not estimated, then it will be
unknown how a certain option could benefit the conservation of tidal habitats and species and if there
could be any unintended consequences to boating safety or road and railroad infrastructure that need to be
addressed. The activities in this phase of the project will be considered a success if other aspects of this
project can use these findings to start building predictions about possible changes to other ecosystem
components such as tidal habitats and species, nutrient cycling, and human uses.
B. Interactions of Nutrient Dynamics with Hydrology
The major outcome of this work will be:
1. a model of nutrient cycling in the Slough that can be used to predict biogeochemical properties,
primarily oxygen.
The model will be used to examine the impacts of changes in hydrology that may result from various
strategies on the status of stocks of phytoplankton, benthic algae and oxygen concentration. The
observing system will also be operated into the future to verify outcomes of conservation actions, to
verify model predictions, and make recommendations on the possible expansion of geographic
boundaries to fully address nutrient pollution. This will provide a key tool for adaptive management.
C. Interactions of Wetland Elevation, Hydrology, and Sediment on Marsh Habitats
A geospatial tool developed from on-site measurements of wetland elevations, water level, and sediment
distribution will provide the basis for understanding current marsh sustainability and predicting altered
conditions resulting from proposed conservation options. Additionally, research generated from this
approach will provide much needed information to comprehend why some marshes within Elkhorn
Slough are persisting why others under similar hydrologic regimes are not. Examining this perplexing
issue is integral to how we formulate our restoration strategies. Specifically, the deliverables will include:
1. a manuscript submitted to a peer-reviewed journal with a detailed analysis of how sedimentary
dynamics coupled with hydrology within Elkhorn Slough is affecting the current lack of marsh
sustainability, and
2. a workshop presented to other scientific investigators and resource professionals on how to
couple on-the-ground site investigation with a geospatial tool to assist in their local restoration of
degrading estuarine environments.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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D. Responses of Biological Indicators to Hydrologic Regime
The outcome of this component will be an increased understanding of how ecological assemblages of
estuaries respond to different hydrological conditions. Most critically, this information will be used for
broad predictions that help decision-makers and stakeholders understand the implications of proposed
scenarios in a currency they can relate to – species of value for ecotourism, commercial fisheries, or
conservation of threatened biodiversity. Specifically, the deliverables will include:
1. a manuscript submitted to a peer-reviewed journal describing past and current ecological
responses to contrasting hydrological regimes at Elkhorn Slough,
2. GIS layers illustrating predicted extent of salt marsh and other estuarine habitat types under the
different options being considered, and
3. tables summarizing predictions about changes to key biological indicators under these scenarios,
and a powerpoint presentation summarizing this in terms comprehensible to the public.
E. Estimates of Economic Values and Analysis of Legal and Political Context
The outcomes of this work are to provide evidence for and reasonable estimates of the economic values
of:
1. the costs of physically implementing each option,
2. the costs and benefits from both consumptive and non-consumptive uses that could result from
suggested changes,
3. the impacts of political and social constraints of each option, and
4. a map of the legal, political and/regulatory requirements for each option, based on knowledge of
past decisions and current policies.
This information should provide a foundation for weighing decisions about which option would be
optimal. This information will be provided in a chapter and with appendices in the final report for this
project. The methods used and the reporting of values could be used as models for other work on similar
projects, leading to some standardization of reporting of non-market values.
Objective 2. Select Preferred Conservation Actions (Project Outcomes)
A. Continuation and Expansion of the Tidal Wetland Planning Process
We will enhance the communication and decision-making about Elkhorn Slough conservation and
restoration activities through:
1. quarterly meetings with scientists, coastal resource decision-makers, and key stakeholders to
disseminate and discuss the new findings from this project,
2. agreement on measurable restoration objectives,
3. tools that integrate the scientific information and visually depict the possible outcomes of
different strategies to enhance decision-making,
4. community outreach such as forums, one-on-one meeting, and print and web-based educational
materials to enhance public understanding of major threats to Elkhorn Slough estuarine habitats,
and
5. consensus from the decision-making panel on preferred conservation strategies to restore and
enhance estuarine habitats.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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B. Long-term Support for Implementation Activities
The main outcome of this section will be:
1. creation of a long-term collaborative structure and lead institution to sustain the oversight of
restoration and conservation activities in Elkhorn Slough and involvement of the community in
this process.
VI. PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND
This ecosystem-based management initiative will be coordinated by the Elkhorn Slough National
Estuarine Research Reserve, which currently employs 15 people who contribute to research, monitoring,
education and restoration programs. Reserve staff will oversee work programs and interface with the
institutional and consulting participants. The project will receive extensive support from the existing
science panel and strategic planning team supporting the Tidal Wetland Planning (TWP) process, also
coordinated by the Elkhorn Slough Reserve.
This grant will be administered by the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. The Foundation, created in 1982, is a
nonprofit, member-supported organization working to conserve and restore Elkhorn Slough and its
watershed. The Foundation is the primary grant administrative agent for program funding for the Elkhorn
Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Foundation will subcontract to the other participating
institutions (The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and California State University Monterey).
The Foundation will likewise contract with all consultants engaged in this project. The leads for each of
the interrelated components are listed below.
PRINCIPAL STAFF
Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
Ms. Barb Peichel, Tidal Wetland Plan Coordinator. Peichel will coordinate this EBM initiative and
integrate it into the existing TWP process by involving an active strategic planning team of decisionmakers and a science panel of experts through working group meetings (Figure 6). She will also oversee
the work of consultants, coordinate community meetings, and facilitate decisions about conservation
strategies.
Dr. Kerstin Wasson, Research Coordinator. Wasson will support the coordination and oversight of the
EBM initiative, greatly contribute to the TWP process, synthesize water quality data under different tidal
regimes, and lead the effort to analyze and predict responses by key biological indicator species to
different management options.
Ms. Becky Christensen, Reserve Manager. Christensen will support the coordination and oversight of
the EBM initiative, greatly contribute to the TWP process, and help develop a decision-making
framework and build community and institutional support.
Mr. Eric Van Dyke, Geographical Ecologist. Van Dyke will lead the investigation of sedimentary
dynamics and marsh loss mechanisms, and will provide the predictive maps of future distribution of salt
marsh and other key habitat types under different management options, as well as contributing to the
TWP process.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
13
Elkhorn Slough Foundation
Mr. Mark Silberstein, Executive Director. Silberstein will be a liaison with the institutional partners
and provide staff support for grant management, oversee contracts with consultants, as well as serving on
the TWP planning team.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Dr. Ken Johnson, Senior Scientist. Johnson is the lead on study and modeling of biogeochemistry of
the slough, including deploying the LOBO instruments to measure the tidal dynamics of nutrients, and
will train postdoctoral fellows working on this system.
California State University Monterey Bay
Dr. Judith Kildow, Rote Distinguished Professor in Science and Environmental Policy. Kildow will
lead the socioeconomic elements of this work, coordinating student assistants and research associates in
gathering and analyzing key economic information for this work and overseeing the consulting
economists participating in this program.
The above project leads will meet every 4 months and provide updates on project activities and discuss
the integration of their findings. An ongoing, planned effort to communicate between project leads is
critical to effectively and efficiently move the project forward. Approximately 1-2 times per year,
working group members will also present their preliminary results to coastal decision-makers, scientists,
agency representatives, and community members at TWP meetings.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
14
FIGURES AND APPENDICES
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
15
Figure 1. Aerial photographs showing how Elkhorn Slough entered Monterey Bay in 1931 (left) and
2003 (right).
Figure 2. Changes to tidal habitat composition in Elkhorn Slough comparing the year 1870 (left) to
2000 (right) (Van Dyke and Wasson 2005).
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
16
Figure 3. Marsh degradation due to opening of harbor mouth. Aerial photographs on left show dense
salt marsh punctuated by narrow tidal creeks; figures on the right show the same area with degraded
marsh (converted largely to mud) with wide tidal creeks.
1931
2001
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
17
Figure 4. Decrease in the percent cover of marsh vegetation in Elkhorn Slough. Blue dots represent
data from analyses of marsh cover from 1930 to 2003 in 196 quadrats (100 m x 100 m) followed over
time in undiked areas (Van Dyke and Wasson 2005); regression line shows predicted trend for next fifty
years.
100
90
marsh cover (%)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1920
1940
1960
1980
2000
year
Y = 1344.546 - .647 * X; R^2 = .519
2020
2040
2060
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
18
Figure 5. Nitrate concentrations (top) and salinity (bottom) in Elkhorn Slough (black line) and
Monterey Bay (blue line) for the period from 11/1/2003 to 9/10/2005. Large inputs of freshwater
(low salinity) during rain events carry concentrations of nitrate that far exceed values found in the
Bay. Data from the LOBO array (www.mbari.org/lobo).
LO1SU = Water quality station in Elkhorn Slough
M1SUR = Water quality station in Monterey Bay
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
19
Figure 6. Individuals and groups involved in the Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland planning process.
Strategic
Planning
Team
Public Review
Science
Panel
Working Groups
Peer Review
Community
Review
Agency
Review
Ecology
Habitat Goals
Strategies
Hydrodynamics
Large-Scale
Alternatives
Monitoring
History
The Strategic Planning Team consists of representatives from jurisdictional and regulatory entities, resource
managers, key regional conservation organizations, scientists, local government officials, strategic marine
planners, social scientists, landowners, and harbor and boating interests.
Karen Berresford and Yvonne LeTellier (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District), Louis Calcagno,
(County of Monterey Board of Supervisors), John Callaway (University of San Francisco, Department of
Environmental Science), Jeff Cann (California Department of Fish and Game, Monterey), Trish Chapman
(California Coastal Conservancy), Becky Christensen and Kerstin Wasson (Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine
Research Reserve), Ross Clark and Kelly Cuffe (California Coastal Commission, Central Coast District Office),
Josh Collins (San Francisco Estuary Institute), Robert Curry (California State University Monterey Bay, Dept. of
Earth Systems Science & Policy), Andrew DeVogelaere (NOAA Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary),
Kaitilin Gaffney (The Ocean Conservancy), Jim Harvey (Elkhorn Slough Reserve Advisory Committee, Moss
Landing Marine Laboratories), Scott Hennesey (Monterey County Planning and Building Inspection), Cheryl
McGovern (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9), Linda McIntyre (Moss Landing Harbor District),
Julie Niceswanger and Bill McIver (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura), Larry Serpa (The Nature
Conservancy), Mark Silberstein (Elkhorn Slough Foundation), Charlie Wahle and Sarah Fischer (NOAA National
Marine Protected Areas Center, Science Institute)
The Science Panel encompasses a broad range of multidisciplinary experts who have an understanding of
biological, hydrodynamic, geological, and physiochemical processes, and experience in estuarine restoration.
Josh Adams, Jessie Lacy, John Takekawa, Isa Woo, and Greg Shellenbarger (U.S. Geological Survey), Sean
Anderson and Stephen Monismith (Stanford University), Mike Beck (The Nature Conservancy), Larry Breaker
Michael Foster, Jim Oakden, John Oliver, Peter Slattery, and Greg Cailliet (Moss Landing Marine Laboratories),
Jason Brush (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), Gary Brown (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Engineer
Research and Development Center), Mark Carr and Peter Raimondi (University of California Santa Cruz), Lesley
Ewing (California Coastal Commission), Ken Johnson and Joe Needoba (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research
Institute), Rikk Kvitek and Doug Smith (California State University Monterey Bay), Bryan Largay (Resource
Conservation District, Monterey County), Steve Lonhart (Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary), Gary Page
(Point Reyes Bird Observatory), Eric Van Dyke, Andrea Woolfolk, and Jill Rooth (Elkhorn Slough National
Estuarine Research Reserve), Mike Vasey (San Francisco State University/SFB National Estuarine Research
Reserve)
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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Figure 7. Interactions of major project pieces to demonstrate an EBM approach at Elkhorn
Slough, CA.
DEVELOP STRATEGIES
RESEARCH ON
MARSH
DYNAMICS &
HYDROLOGY
PREDICT HYDROLOGY AND
SEDIMENT CHANGES
PREDICT TIDAL
HABITAT CHANGES
RESEARCH ON
SOCIOECONOMICS
AND VALUE OF
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
RESEARCH ON
NUTRIENT
DYNAMICS &
HYDROLOGY
PREDICT NUTRIENT
CYCLING CHANGES
PREDICT ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
CHANGES
DECISIONS MADE ABOUT
OPTIMAL STRATEGIES
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
RESEARCH ON
REGULATORY
& POLITICAL
STRUCTURE
TWP
MEETINGS &
COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT
21
Appendix 1. Consensus statements predicting 50-year tidal habitat trends for unrestricted flow
areas in Elkhorn Slough (approved by the Tidal Wetland Plan Science Panel on 5/16/05).
The relationship between the cross-sectional area and tidal prism in
the Elkhorn Slough system is not at equilibrium. Therefore...
1) The cross-sectional area will continue to increase significantly
in the lower main channel of Elkhorn Slough.
2) The cross-sectional area of the main channel will likely increase
in the upper Elkhorn Slough. The erosion rate is currently less
than in the lower Slough, but will likely increase over time.
3) Bank erosion will continue (and may accelerate in the upper
Elkhorn Slough) causing significant marsh loss.
4) The aerial extent of mudflat will continue to increase at the
expense of salt marsh.
5) Sediments in soft-bottom areas exposed to strong tidal currents
will erode, leaving harder substrates with larger grain sizes and
weight/volume ratios (bulk density).
6) The aerial extent and cross-sectional area of tidal creeks will
continue to increase at the expense of smaller tidal creeks, salt
marsh, and mudflat.
7) The aerial extent of salt marsh will continue to significantly
decrease and convert to mudflat and tidal creeks.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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Appendix 2. Consensus statements describing the Vision, Goals, Objectives, and Strategic Planning
Principles for the Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland planning process (approved by the Tidal Wetland
Plan Strategic Planning Team on 7/29/05).
Vision
“We envision a mosaic of estuarine communities of historic precedence that are sustained by natural tidal, fluvial,
sedimentary, and biological processes in the Elkhorn Slough Watershed as a legacy for future generations.” –
Strategic Planning Team, Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland Plan
Goal 1. Conserve the existing highest quality estuarine habitats and native biodiversity by aiming for a more natural
rate of habitat change.
Objectives. Significantly reduce the rate of: (A) salt marsh conversion to other habitat types, (B) subtidal
channel erosion, (C) loss of soft sediments from mudflat and subtidal channel habitats, and (D) tidal creek
conversion to other habitat types.
Goal 2. Restore and enhance the estuarine habitats of Elkhorn Slough. Aim for the natural distribution, extent, and
quality of Elkhorn Slough habitats with special emphasis on habitats with the highest loss rates.
Objectives. Strive to increase the extent of: (A) salt marsh habitats, including the natural distribution and
abundance of tidal creeks, pannes, vegetated plains, and wetland/upland transitional areas, (B) tidal brackish
marsh habitats, including the natural distribution and abundance of tidal creeks, pannes, vegetated plains, and
wetland/upland transitional areas, (C) freshwater/saltwater natural transition gradients and connectivity, and (D)
high quality soft sediments in mudflat and subtidal channel habitats.
Goal 3. Restore and enhance the natural processes (hydrology and geomorphology) of Elkhorn Slough and its
watershed to sustain a more stable and resilient estuarine system. Emphasize the roles of natural sources, transport,
circulation, filtration, and storage of water and sediment.
Objectives. Take actions to: (A) attain a more appropriate tidal influence by reducing the tidal prism in undiked
areas, (B) restore appropriate levels of tidal exchange to former tidal areas that have no tidal connection or a
very restricted tidal exchange if it will not exacerbate tidal erosion and salt marsh loss in other areas, and (C) reestablish or augment the supply of suitable sediments to increase the elevations and resiliency of subsided
marsh areas.
Strategic Planning Principles
 Consider the broadest range of possible approaches to achieve the goals and objectives.
 Accommodate boating, farming, transportation, recreation, and other human uses necessary to support people in
the region.
 Incorporate the needs of special estuarine conservation targets such as estuarine-dependent species, state- and
federally-listed species, migratory species, and formerly dominant species.
 Give priority to actions that focus on protecting estuarine habitats most rapidly being lost both locally and in the
region.
 Mitigate or avoid the negative impacts and consider the positive impacts of management strategies to neighboring
landowners.
 Support projects that improve water quality for estuarine habitats and humans.
 Take into account present natural and cultural constraints and future geomorphological and climatic conditions in
selecting restoration strategies.
 Consider how restoration and management strategies might be tested and implemented through pilot projects and
reversible steps.
 Take advantage of opportunities for short-term pilot and demonstration projects that answer research questions
most relevant in adaptively managing the resource.
 To the extent possible, find solutions that minimize the long-term cost of on-going maintenance required to
sustain ecological services of habitats or the natural processes that control them.
 Maintain flexibility so that the planning process and potential strategies can be adaptively managed in the future.
 Recognize that the geographic scope is variable depending on estuarine processes so different scales need to be
considered.
 Keep a watershed perspective. Consider the conservation and management efforts of adjoining upland and stream
habitats.
 Document the major assumptions of all restoration designs and determine if the project seems reasonable to
accomplish the goals.
 Learn from the successes and failures of similar projects that have been implemented and favor management
strategies with high rates of success.
 Collaborate and stay informed about other planning processes in the area without disrupting those efforts.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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Appendix 3. Examples of possible options to conserve and restore tidal habitats in Elkhorn Slough
that may be evaluated during this project. Options 4-6 may be combined with options 1-3 for
analysis.
OPTION 1. No action (status quo for comparison purposes)
The TWP Science Panel and Strategic Planning Team have
come to consensus on general statements of the 50-year tidal
habitat trends which predict that the main channel of
Elkhorn Slough and tidal creeks will continue to get deeper
and wider from tidal erosion and salt marsh habitats will
continue to be lost in the next 50 years unless new
management actions are implemented (Appendix 1).
OPTION 2. Restore the historic location, dimensions,
and sinuosity of the Elkhorn Slough channel opening to
Monterey Bay by blocking the current opening under the
Highway 1 bridge, re-routing the channel, and adding
sediment to raise the elevation of the channel bed
Initial assessments of this option indicate that this might be
the best possible solution to address tidal erosion and marsh
loss and conserve estuarine habitats, but it currently has a
high level of uncertainty because it is unknown whether a
newly constructed channel would seasonally close and
compound water quality problems.
OPTION 3. Replicate the dimensions of the Elkhorn
Slough channel mouth to Monterey Bay by decreasing
the opening size under the Highway 1 bridge and adding
sediment to raise the elevation of the channel bed
Discussions about a sill at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough
indicate that it could address tidal erosion and marsh loss
and conserve estuarine habitats, but might cause boating
access problems due to dangerous velocities and might result
in decreased water quality.
2
5
4
3
6
OPTION 4. Reduce the tidal prism by muting the tidal influence in other areas of Elkhorn Slough
(e.g., Parsons Slough, which accounts for 30% of the tidal volume)
Hydrodynamic and restoration experts think that this medium-scale option could slow but not stop the
rate of marsh loss and tidal erosion in Elkhorn Slough
OPTION 5. Add sediments in marsh areas that are severely subsided to restore the elevation
needed to support plant growth
This option addresses a proximate cause of marsh degradation (subsidence), but does not fully restore the
processes that sustain marsh so would likely be considered along with other options.
OPTION 6. Reduce nutrient loading into Elkhorn Slough with tidal hydrology options
As understanding of tidal and nutrient cycles improves, management options to coordinate the timing or
rerouting of agricultural inputs to minimize pollution impacts to estuarine habitats could be considered
with other options, but unintended consequences to other ecosystems such as Monterey Bay need to be
considered.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
24
LITERATURE CITED
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Cloern, J. E. 2001. Our evolving conceptual model of the coastal eutrophication problem. Marine Ecology
Progress Series 210: 222-253.
Connors, S. Shorebird distribution in a changing environment: patterns at Elkhorn Slough. M.S. thesis,
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Jose, CA 2003.
Dahl, T.E. 1990. Wetlands losses in the United States 1780’s to 1980’s. Washington DC: U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
Dean, E. 2003. Tidal Scour in Elkhorn Slough, California: A Bathymetric Analysis. B.S. Capstone
Project, California State University, Monterey Bay, California.
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Lindquist, D.C. 1998. The effects of erosion on the trophic ecology of fishes in Elkhorn Slough, CA. M.S.
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Diego, California.
Mitsch, W. and J. Gosselink. 2000. Wetlands: Third Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY.
Monterey County. 2004. Monterey County Crop Report, Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s
Office, Salinas, CA.
NRC. 2000. Clean Coastal Waters: Understanding and Reducing the Effects of Nutrient Pollution.
National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 405 pp.
Rablais, N.N. et al. 2002. Nutrient-enhanced productivity in the northern Gulf of Mexico: past, present
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for the Elkhorn Slough Watershed. Report prepared for the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, 41 p.
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Van Dyke, E. and K. Wasson. 2005. Historical Ecology of a Central California Estuary: 150 Years of
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Principal Staff
Biographical Information:
Becky Christensen
Reserve Manager, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville, CA 95067
phone: (831) 728-2822, fax: (831) 728-1056
email: bchristensen@dfg.ca.gov
http://www.elkhornslough.org/esnerr
Becky Christensen graduated from the University of California, Davis in 1985
with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Environmental Policy Analysis and
Planning. She has been employed at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine
Research Reserve (ESNERR) since 1990. ESNERR is one of twenty six
National Estuarine Research Reserves in the country, all operated under the
authority of Section 315 of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act and
overseen by the Estuarine Reserves Division of the National Oceanic
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). ESNERR is owned and managed by the
California Department of Fish and Game and operates in partnership with
NOAA and the private, non-profit Elkhorn Slough Foundation.
From 1990 to 1997 Ms. Christensen served as the director of the Reserve’s
education programs. Since 1997 she has been the Reserve Manager and is
responsible for habitat and facilities maintenance, administration, and
programmatic oversight of the Reserve’s research, monitoring, education, and
stewardship programs. She is an employee of the California Department of Fish
and Game. In 2004 she was awarded Employee of the Year by the Chuck
Haugen Conservation Fund for her work at the Reserve.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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Curriculum Vitae:
Kenneth S. Johnson
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
7700 Sandholdt Road
Moss Landing, California 95039
Education:
Ph.D.
B.S.
B.S.
(831) 775-1985 tel
(831) 775-1620 fax
johnson@mbari.org
Oceanography, Oregon State University
Oceanography, University of Washington
Chemistry, University of Washington
1979
1975
1975
Professional Positions:
Science Department Chair, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, 2002-2005
Senior Scientist, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, 1999Professor of Chemical Oceanography, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San Jose State University, 1988-1999
Chair, University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System, 1994-1998
Assistant Director, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 1994-1997
Assistant & Associate Research Oceanographer, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1979-1988
Professional Experience:
Current research topics include the development of analytical tools for trace metal and in situ chemical analyses
in seawater, and the application of these tools to studies of chemical processes in the oceanic water column,
sediments and hydrothermal vents. Past work has included the determination of reaction rates in seawater,
measurement of carbonate mineral solubilities, and studies of ion pair equilibria in electrolyte solutions.
Have participated in numerous oceanographic cruises in the Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean and Mediterranean
Sea on the Wecoma, Cayuse, Velero IV, Pandorra II, E. B. Scripps, Melville, Atlantis II, Lynch, Pt. Sur, Nadir,
Iselin, New Horizon, Western Flyer and Roger Revelle. Have served as chief scientist on 20 cruises. Have
made submersible dives in Alvin and Nautile.
Personal:
Born 7/8/52; U.S. Citizen; Married 1975; 2 Children
Five Recent Publications Related to Sensors:
Blain, S., H. W. Jannasch and K. S. Johnson. 1999. In situ chemical analyzers with colorimetric detection. In,
Chemical Sensors in Oceanography, M. Varney, ed., Gordon & Breach, pp. 49-70.
Johnson, K. S., V. A. Elrod, J. L. Nowicki, K. H. Coale and H. Zamzow. 2000. Continuous flow techniques for on
site and in situ measurements of metals and nutrients in sea water. In, In situ monitoring of aquatic systems, J.
Buffle and G. Horvai, eds. John Wiley, Chichester, 223-252.
Johnson, K. S. and L. J. Coletti. 2002. In situ ultraviolet spectrophotometry for high resolution and long term
monitoring of nitrate, bromide and bisulfide in the ocean. Deep-Sea Research I, 49, 1291-1305.
Sakamoto, C. M.. D. M. Karl, H. W. Jannasch, R. R. Bidigare, R. M. Letelier, P. M. Walz, J. P. Ryan, P. S. Polito,
and K. S. Johnson. 2004. Influence of Rossby waves on nutrient dynamics and the plankton community
structure in the North Pacific subtropical gyre.
Journal of Geophysical Research, 109,
doi:10.1029/2003JC001976.
Chapin, T. P., J. M. Caffrey, H. W. Jannasch, L. J. Coletti, J. C. Haskins and K. S. Johnson. 2004. Nitrate sources
and sinks in Elkhorn Slough, California: Results from long-term continuous in situ nitrate analyzers. Estuaries.
27, 882-894.
Five Recent Publications Related to Biogeochemical Cycles:
Johnson, K. S., F. P. Chavez and G. E. Friederich. 1999. Continental-shelf sediment as a primary source of iron for
coastal phytoplankton. Nature, 398, 697 - 700.
Johnson, K. S. F. P. Chavez, V. A. Elrod, S. E. Fitzwater, J. T. Pennington, K. R. Buck and P. M. Walz. 2001. The
annual cycle of iron and the biological response in central California coastal waters. Geophysical Research
Letters, 28, 1247-1250.
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Johnson CV p. 2
Johnson, K. S., V. A. Elrod, S. E. Fitzwater, J. N. Plant, F. P. Chavez, S. J. Tanner, R. M. Gordon, D. L. Westphal,
K. D. Perry, J. Wu, D. M. Karl. 2003. Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Interactions in the Northeast Pacific
Ocean Gyre: Aerosols, Iron and the Ecosystem Response. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 17(2), 1063,
doi:10.1029/2002GB002004.
Coale, K. H., K. S. Johnson, F. P. Chavez, K. O. Buesseler, R. T. Barber, M. A. Brzezinski, W. P. Cochlan, F. J.
Millero, P. G. Falkowski, J. E. Bauer, R. H. Wanninkhof, R. M. Kudela, M. A. Altabet, B. E. Hales, T.
Takahashi, M. R. Landry, R. R. Bidigare, X. Wang, Z. Chase, P. G. Strutton, G. E. Friederich, M. Y.
Gorbunov, V. P. Lance, A. K. Hilting, M. R. Hiscock, M. Demarest, W. T. Hiscock, K. A. Sullivan, S. J.
Tanner, R. M. Gordon, C. N. Hunter, V. A. Elrod, S. E. Fitzwater, J. L. Jones, S. Tozzi, M. Koblizek, A. E.
Roberts, J. Herndon, J. Brewster, N. Ladizinsky, G. Smith, D. Cooper, D. Timothy, S. L. Brown, K. E. Selph,
C. C. Sheridan, B. S. Twining and Z. I. Johnson. 2004. Southern Ocean Iron Enrichment Experiment
(SOFeX): Carbon and Cycling in High- and Low-Si Waters. Science, 304, 408-414.
Elrod, V. A., W. M. Berelson, K. H. Coale, and K. S. Johnson. 2004. The flux of iron from continental shelf
sediments: A missing source for global budgets, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31(12), 10.1029/2004GL020216.
Synergistic Activities
Public service work has included service on the NSF Geoscience Advisory Committee, US JGOFS Steering
Committee, US SOLAS Steering Committe, National Research Council Committee for the Assessment of
Marine Pollution Monitoring, Committee on New Technologies for the Ocean, Committee for Oceanographic
Standard Reference Materials, the UNOLS Fleet Improvement Committee, and the UNOLS Council. Board
Member of the Monterey Academy of Oceanographic Sciences – a science academy at Monterey High School.
Developed the Periodic Table of Elements in the Ocean (http://www.mbari.org/chemsensor/pteo.htm) as an
educational resource.
Collaborations: Ph.D. Advisor - R. M. Pytkowicz (deceased); Recent Post-Doctoral Advisees – Z. Chase, J.
Needoba; Recent Collaborators - K. Coale, W. Berelson, J. McManus, D. Burdidge, W. O. Smith, F. Chavez,
R. Barber, R. Bidigare, R. Letelier, M. Landry, D. Karl, D. Archer, D. Westphal, K. Perry, J. Caffrey, S.
Monismith, A. Paytan, K. Bruland, E. Boyle, C. Measures, J. Moffett, P. Sedwick, J. Wu.
EBM Implementation Proposal, Elkhorn Slough, October 13, 2005
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Biographical Information:
Dr. Judith T. Kildow
Rote Distinguished Professorship in Science and Environmental Policy,
California State University at Monterey Bay
100 Campus Center, 53/S307
Seaside, CA 93955
phone: (831) 582-3223; fax: (831) 582-4122
email: judith_kildow@csumb.edu
Research / Education Page: www.OceanEconomics.org
Judith T. Kildow has studied the coasts and oceans throughout her 33-year
academic career as an analyst of public policy. In recent years her focus has
been on the economics of the coastal zone and coastal ocean. She currently
holds the James W. Rote Distinguished Professorship in Science and
Environmental Policy at California State University at Monterey Bay (CSUMB)
and was for 26 years on the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. She is Principal Investigator and Director of The National Ocean
Economics Program (NOEP), a multi-university effort to estimate, understand,
and track changes in the value of the coast and ocean to the U.S. economy.
NOEP is funded primarily by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. She has also held appointments at the University of Southern
California, the University of Vermont, University of California at San Diego,
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Harvard University, and Tufts
University. Her research expertise has led her to serve as a member of numerous
international, federal and state commissions, including the Ocean Studies Board
and the Marine Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Her Ph.D. in
International Relations and Science Policy is from The Fletcher School at Tufts
University; her B.A. degree from Grinnell College. She has lectured and
published widely on marine and coastal issues.
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Curriculum Vitae:
Barbara A. Peichel
Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
1700 Elkhorn Road
Watsonville, CA 950
http://www.elkhornslough.org/tidalwetlandplan.htm
(831) 728-2822 (W)
(831) 320-4142 (C)
barb@elkhornslough.org
Education:
Master of Science Degree in Water Resources Science (June 2002)
Thesis: Prioritizing Wetland Restoration in the St. Louis River Watershed
Advisor: Dr. Susan Galatowitsch
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Environmental Education (June 1997)
University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN
Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology, Chemistry Minor (May 1996)
University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN
Professional Experience:
Tidal Wetland Plan Coordinator, (April 2004 - present)
Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Watsonville, CA
University of California Santa Cruz, California Department of Fish and Game
 Coordinate and facilitate meetings of scientists, resource managers, and stakeholders to create management
strategies to conserve and restore Elkhorn Slough estuarine habitats
 Synthesize existing scientific knowledge on estuarine habitats and hydrogeomorphic processes
 Draft and disseminate an Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland Plan that recommends management actions for
implementation
Legislative Fellow, Office of Senator Daniel K. Akaka (February 2003 - February 2004)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington, DC
 Drafted and revised legislation on fisheries, invasive species, and agriculture
 Met with senior-level federal, state, and local agency personnel, constituents, and
advocacy groups to build consensus on policy actions
 Wrote floor statements and constituent letters on ocean issues, marine mammals, climate
change, and coastal management
 Prepared hearing questions on natural resource, energy, and federal land issues
Program Assistant, (January 1999 - January 2003)
University of Minnesota Sea Grant College Program, St. Paul and Duluth, MN
 Facilitated teacher workshops on coastal processes, limnology, and oceanography
 Contributed to grant writing and completed project evaluation reports of funded projects
 Educated diverse citizen groups about threats to coastal ecosystems and best management practices through
presentations at state and local meetings
 Developed a guide to identify aquatic invasive plants using science-based information in cooperation with
national partners (in press)
Research Technician, (October 1998 - August 1999, November 1994 - August 1996)
University of Minnesota Natural Resources Research Institute, Duluth, MN
 Conducted field and laboratory research on the use of macroinvertebrates and fish species, to assess the water
quality and habitat conditions of lakes and streams
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Peichel CV p. 2
Selected Grants:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (October 2001 - June 2002) ($14,000)
 Produced a management plan to guide wetland restoration priorities and design alternatives
Professional Memberships:
Board Member (February 2001 - January 2003)
St. Louis River Citizens Action Committee
 Assisted in community efforts to increase public awareness for the improvement and protection of the St.
Louis River Superfund Area of Concern
Selected Presentations:
Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland Plan (September 2004 - 2005)
 Presented an overview of estuarine habitat changes over time in the Elkhorn Slough Watershed, critical
threats to those habitats, and the planning process to select management strategies to the Elkhorn Slough
Reserve Research Advisory Committee, Elkhorn Slough Foundation Board Members, Elkhorn Slough
Docents and Staff, Scientists, resource managers, agency representatives, and community members involved
in the Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland Plan
Connecting Citizens with Real-Time Water Quality Data (April 2002)
 Provided research results from a collaborative study on phosphorus levels in urban runoff to University of
Minnesota limnology researchers
Biological Pollution - New Threats to Minnesota Waters (June 2000)
 Lectured about the potential impacts of invasive species to members of several lake associations
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Biographical Information:
Mark Silberstein
Executive Director, Elkhorn Slough Foundation
PO Box 267
Moss Landing, CA 95039
phone: (831) 728-5939, (831) 761-1719
fax: 831-728-7031
email: silbermud@aol.com
http://www.elkhornslough.org
Mark Silberstein has worked in the Monterey Bay area for 30 years. Earning
his Master's degree in 1987 in Marine Science from the Moss Landing Marine
Laboratories, Mark was one a member of the first team of biologists who thoroughly
investigated and characterized the estuarine environments of Elkhorn Slough. He
continued his work in this area as the first Research-Education
Coordinator for the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, developing
programs to increase visibility, and the importance of, the Elkhorn Slough and its
watershed. This included developing the Elkhorn Slough Volunteer Guides program,
Teacher-Training programs, and management oriented research, all designed to increase
public awareness and knowledge of Elkhorn Slough.
In 1987, Mr. Silberstein accepted the position as the first Executive
Director of the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, a private nonprofit organization dedicated to
conserving and wisely managing the estuarine and coastal resources of the Elkhorn
Slough and Monterey Bay. This nonprofit has grown to 9 full-time employees since its
inception in 1982, and has had wide-scale impact on the Elkhorn Slough Watershed. The
Foundation's activities have included spearheading a habitat restoration program,
transforming dozens of acres of abandoned farmland to native grasslands, and
participating in the restoration of tidal wetlands. Most recently, the Foundation has
expanded its mission to include acquiring conservation easements and land as a method
to further conserve and restore the resources of Elkhorn Slough Watershed. The
Foundation currently manages the largest conservation land holdings in the Elkhorn
Slough watershed.
Mr. Silberstein is known throughout the Monterey Bay area for a collaborative
approach to conservation. He has worked successfully with other land trusts
(Big Sur Land Trust, Monterey County Agricultural Conservancy), governmental
agencies (Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration), and groups to cooperatively protect the natural resources
of the slough. His goal is to develop common ground while promoting the conservation
of wetland areas. In spring of 2000, Mr. Silberstein was awarded the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration's National Environmental Hero Award, in
acknowledgement for his conservation efforts in the Monterey Bay area.
Other Awards:
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary: Citizen Conservationist Award, 1999
Director's Award, California Department of Fish and Game, 1997
Nature Conservancy's Conservation Honor, 1988
DAR Award for Conservation 1987
Sierra Club Award for Environmental Education, 1986
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Biographical Information:
Eric Van Dyke
Geographical Ecologist, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville, CA 95067
phone: (831) 728-2822, fax: (831) 728-1056
email: vandyke@elkhornslough.org
http://www.elkhornslough.org/esnerr
Eric Van Dyke is a member of the research team at Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine
Research Reserve. As his title—Geographical Ecologist—suggests, Eric’s work applies
the technical tools of Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing to
ecological studies. After many years in the high-tech Silicon Valley world of software
development, Eric returned to the University of California, Santa Cruz, to receive a
degree in Environmental Studies. His undergraduate thesis, Maritime Chaparral
Transition in the Absence of Fire, was published in the California Botanical Society’s
journal Madroño. Eric’s current research focuses on long-term changes in the Monterey
Bay area’s threatened habitat types. His geospatial analysis of Elkhorn Slough,
Historical Ecology of a Central California Estuary: 150 Years of Habitat Change,
recently appeared in the journal Estuaries. Eric has lived for the past 20 years on a small
ranch at the intersection of San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Cruz counties.
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Curriculum Vitae:
Dr. Kerstin Wasson
Current position
Research Coordinator, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville, CA 95076 USA
email: research@elkhornslough.org
fax: (831) 728-1056
phone: (831) 728-2822
and
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
Synopsis
Estuarine ecologist with emphasis on conservation biology, evolutionary ecology, invertebrate systematics, and
invasion biology.
Education
B.A., Oberlin College, Ohio, 1989.
Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, 1996.
Recent Professional Experience
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences, Humboldt State University, CA.
University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA.
Recent Grants Received
“Elkhorn Slough aquatic habitat restoration supporting threatened amphibians and reptiles”, Monterey Bay
Aquarium Conservation Action Fund, $5000, 2001-2, PI: Wasson
“Least wanted invaders: an early detection program for invasions of non-indigenous marine species in central
California”, California Sea Grant, $9900, 2001-2, PI: Wasson
“Coordinating stewardship of Elkhorn Slough: development of a tidal wetland action plan”, $300,000, California
Resources Agency Coastal Impact Assistance Program, 2003-6, PI: Wasson
“Broad-scale non-indigenous species monitoring along the west coast in National Marine Sanctuaries and National
Estuarine Research Reserves”, $188,576, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, 2003-4, PI: Greg Ruiz,
Smithsonian, Co-PI: Wasson
Land/ocean biogeochemical observatory for nutrient and carbon cycling”, National Science Foundation, $1,988,573,
2003-8, PI: Ken Johnson, MBARI; Co-PI: Wasson
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Wasson CV p. 2
Selected Publications
Wasson, K. 1997. Systematic revision of colonial kamptozoans (entoprocts) of the northeastern Pacific. Zoological
Journal of the Linnean Society 121:1-63.
Wasson, K., Von Holle, M., Toft, J., and Ruiz, G. 2000. Detecting invasions of marine organisms: kamptozoan
case histories. Biological Invasions 2:59-74.
Wasson, K., Zabin, C.J., Bedinger, L., Diaz, C.M., and Pearse, J.S. 2001. Biological invasions of estuaries without
international shipping: the importance of intraregional transport. Biological Conservation 102(2):143-153.
Tamburri, M.N., Wasson, K., and Matsuda, M. 2002. Ballast water deoxygenation can prevent aquatic
introductions while reducing ship corrosion. Biological Conservation 103:331-341.
Wasson, K., Lyon, B.E., and Knope, M. 2002. Hair-trigger autotomy in porcelain crabs is a highly effective escape
strategy. Behavioral Ecology 13:481-486
Wasson, K., Lohrer, D., Crawford, M., and Rumrill, S. 2002. Non-native species in our nation’s estuaries: a
framework for an invasion monitoring program. National Estuarine Research Reserve Technical Report
Series 2002:1. (available as a pdf from http://www.ocrm.nos.noaa.gov/nerr/resource.html)
Wasson, K. 2002. A review of the invertebrate phylum kamptozoa (Entoprocta) and synopsis of kamptozoan
diversity in Australia and New Zealand. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 126:1-20.
Wasson, K., Nybakken, J., Kvitek, R., Braby, C., Silberstein, M. 2003. Invertebrates of Elkhorn Slough. Pp. 135161 in Caffrey, J., Brown, M., and Tyler, W. B., eds. Changes in a California estuary: an ecosystem profile
of Elkhorn Slough. Elkhorn Slough Foundation, Moss Landing, CA.
Wasson, K., Woolfolk, A., Hayes, K. 2003. Developing national strategies to combat biological invasions.
Conservation Biology 17:338-340.
Wasson, K. and Mariscal, R. Kamptozoa. In Press. Solicited chapter for The Light and Smith Manual to Intertidal
Invertebrates of California and Oregon, J. Carlton ed.
Van Dyke, E. and Wasson, K. 2005. Historical Ecology of a Central California Estuary: 150 Years of Habitat
Change. Estuaries 28:173-189.
Wasson, K., Fenn, K., Pearse, J.S. In Press. Habitat bias in marine invasions of Central California. Biological
Invasions.
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BOARD MEMBERS
The Elkhorn Slough Foundation
Ms. Diane Cooley, Watsonville
Mr. Steve Dennis, Carmel
Mr. Bill Eggleston, Carmel
Mr. Dick Hammond, Carmel
Ms. Candace Ingram, Pacific Grove
Mr. Richard B. Morris, San Juan Bautista
Mr. Dick Nutter, Aptos
Ms. Anne Olsen, Salinas
Mr. Jerry Patrick, Aptos
Mr. Wil Smith, Pebble Beach
Mr. Jack Taylor, Monterey
Mr. Jim Van Houten, La Selva Beach
Ms. Lydia Villarreal, Salinas
Mr. John Warriner, Watsonville
Mr. Stephen K. Webster, Carmel Valley
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