Loma Alta Creek and Slough
Loma Alta Creek runs seven miles through the cities of Vista and Oceanside into a coastal estuarine wetland, the Loma Alta Slough. While the watershed provides crucial habitat and ecological functions such as flood prevention, much of the area is polluted. The City of Oceanside and partners are working to restore Loma Alta Creek and Slough in order to protect and expand coastal habitat and increase recreational opportunities for the public.
About This Project
Who is proposing this project?
Lead Organization: City of Oceanside
Website: https://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/gov/water/services_programs/clean/mass/lomalta.asp
Supporting organizations:
What is proposed?
The Loma Alta Slough Wetlands Enhancement Project is working to restore tidal wetlands and upland habitat. The health of the Creek and Slough have been degraded over time due to watershed urbanization, lowered water quality, and wetland fill. Today, over 70 percent of the watershed has been developed, leaving just a small portion as natural land. This degradation and development not only threatens coastal species, but also presents public health concerns as polluted water may leach into the adjacent Buccaneer Beach.
This project will restore the historic conditions and ecological functions of the Slough in order to:
- Increase wetland coverage
- Restore habitat for native species
- Improve recreational opportunities
- Minimize public health risks
For example, the project will consider removing wetland fill and restoring wetlands where possible, which will allow for expansion of the existing stream channel and restoration of historic wetland habitats.
The project also includes construction of a new public trail system north of the restored wetlands for outdoor recreation and connectivity between the beach and the Coast Highway commercial corridor.
Project Location
Loma Alta Creek begins as rising springs just west of Melrose Drive in the City of Vista and flows parallel to Oceanside Boulevard to Loma Alta Slough, just north of Buccaneer Beach Park in Oceanside. Loma Alta Creek is just over seven miles long and drains nearly 6,300 acres of land. The Slough is a 107 acre coastal estuarine wetland. Loma Alta Watershed is the northernmost watershed in the Carlsbad Hydrologic Unit.
Specifically, this project is focusing on restoring 6.8 acres of the Slough, which includes 5.8 acres of City of Oceanside-owned property and an additional 1 acre parcel that the City plans to acquire in a future phase of the project.
Why is this project on the 30×30 list?
Restoration of the Loma Alta watershed will support biodiversity in the San Diego region. Loma Alta Creek supports approximately 100 species of wildlife, including threatened and endangered species. The Slough also provides unique habitats for coastally-dependent species such as the endangered tidewater goby. Restoring these areas to a healthy ecosystem helps ensure these species can survive and thrive.
The project also aims to increase recreational opportunities for economically disadvantaged communities alongside the creek in Vista and Oceanside. New recreational trails along the creek would create a linear park, working to increase public access from inland communities to the beach.
Loma Alta Creek and Slough also provide important ecological services that boost the area’s resilience to climate change. These coastal wetlands and riparian habitats protect against flood risk, sequester carbon and create a climate-resilient coastline that will be able to adapt to sea-level rise. Restoring and protecting these ecosystems is crucial to ensuring a climate-resilient future for local communities and habitats.
How will this project be completed?
This project still requires funding in order to be completed. The project’s estimated cost is $2,688,400.