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We want to thank all of you who came out to help us celebrate this incredible legacy project for Tomales Bay as we finally breached the levees on October 25th and 26th and let in the tides for the first time in 60 years!
On October 26, 2008, more than 500 people showed up to celebrate the final breaching of levees at the Giacomini Ranch and to witness the first high tide to flow into the former marshlands in more than 60 years. While levee breaching might be complete, restoration is not entirely finished: construction and some trail closures will continue for a few more weeks, and some areas will be actively revegetated. Come be part of the restoration process by joining us on one of our community planting dates! Check here for dates. Also check our Phase II Construction Updates page in the future for updates on restoration progress.
In this section, you will find a variety of Management Plans and other documents pertaining to the planning, management and operation of the Giacomini Wetland Restoration Project. Click on a link below to find out more.
Construction Updates
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice - Background Information
Scoping Documents
Draft Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Impact Report (2006)
FINAL Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Impact Report (2007)
Technical Background Reports
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Since the early 1900s, levees constructed at the southern end of Tomales Bay for roads and dairy farms have served to hydrologically disconnect Lagunitas Creek and its tributaries from their floodplains. As a result, wetland conditions within the Waldo Giacomini Ranch and Olema Marsh (Project Area) have been degraded, and hydrologic and ecological functionality of what was once of the largest integrated tidal marsh complexes in Tomales Bay has been substantially reduced. Natural wetlands provide many important functions for humans and wildlife, including floodwater retention, water quality improvement, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. Because two-thirds of the Bay’s freshwater inflow passes through the Project Area, these wetlands may have once played an integral role in maintaining health of Tomales Bay, which has deteriorated over the last century because of excessive sedimentation, water and sediment quality problems, non-native species invasions, and other issues.
In 2000, the National Park Service acquired the Waldo Giacomini Ranch for the purpose of wetland restoration using a combination of Congressional appropriations and mitigation monies from the California Department of Transportation. Because the Project Area is in the northern district of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, it is managed by Point Reyes National Seashore.
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