First Stage of Marsh Restoration Completed

Irvine Ranch Water District has finished work on the first stage of its San Joaquin marsh restoration project.

Since June, the district has planted 50 acres of willows, cottonwoods, sycamores and other native plants around its treatment facility at the marsh.

Ken Thompson, director of water quality, said district board members wanted a buffer around the agency’s water treatment facility to prevent residential development.

When complete, Thompson said the 150 acres of restored wetlands will benefit the entire ecosystem that extends from the marshes in Irvine to the Upper Newport Bay in Newport Beach.

“There will be extra habitat for shorebirds and migratory birds,” he said.

The entire wetlands restoration should be complete by October, Thompson said.

The water district and Irvine Co. are sharing the expense of the $6-million project.

In addition, the district will soon begin dredging the part of San Diego Creek that flows between Michelson Drive and Campus Drive in Irvine. The creek has never been dredged, and officials expect it will help reduce silt and sediment that flows into Upper Newport Bay.