Marin County Open Space District has created a web page for the Bolinas Lagoon Ecosystem Restoration Project. The site provides information about the project status and makes available various contracts and reports. You can also sign up for e-mail notification of future meetings at the site. As always, read the latest Lagoon Lifesaver for the most recent news. Here are details on restoration options.

In June 2002 the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and Marin County Open Space District released a preliminary set of draft documents (Feasibility Study Report and EIR/EIS) prepared as part of the Feasibility Study. These documents presented a thorough engineering analysis of the physical condition of Bolinas Lagoon, and proposed a number of possible corrective actions, many of which included dredging. Public comments generated in response to these documents were helpful in defining a number of biological concerns to be addressed in completing the Feasibility Study and selecting a desired restoration plan. They also called for a stronger case justifying the need for corrective action.

In early 2003 Marin County Open Space District assumed the lead role in justifying the need for a restoration project, and preparing the biological impact analysis for the study. The Open Space District currently has a team of consultants working on the project. Their schedule suggests that by mid-2004 the analysis of the need for a restoration project will be completed. If the conclusion of that work is that a restoration project is justified, the consultants will be asked to recommend specific actions to be taken, and to develop an adaptive management program to assess the impact of the restoration work on the wildlife that provides the lagoon's habitat values.

During this period of extended study, opportunity will be provided for public comment and participation in the determination of criteria used for making decisions. At the end of this period of additional analysis, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers will assume the lead role in finalizing the draft study documents for submission to Congress for its authorization to proceed into the Construction phase of the project.