Humboldt Wetland Restoration & Mitigation Geodatabase

Publication Date

9-2026

Abstract

This geodatabase brings together restoration and mitigation project data for wetlands and eelgrass in and around Humboldt Bay, alongside referential layers, such as historic saltmarsh extent, to support future restoration planning. The scope of the database is limited to projects that have restored tidal influence, created or restored tidal slough channels or wetland channels, restored wetland contours, or created off-channel ponds. Projects were excluded that only performed invasive plant removal, vegetation management, or fish passage barrier removal.

Project data was sourced from Coastal Development Permits and a collection of restoration project documents called the Low Tide Archive. All of the referenced documents that are not hosted by a government agency on the web may be found in the Humboldt Wetland Restoration & Mitigation Database Collection on Cal Poly Humboldt’s Digital Commons.

Note: this is not a complete record of every restoration effort in Humboldt Bay. If you are aware of a tidal or wetland restoration project not shown here, please contact Humboldt Waterkeeper at [email protected].

This geodatabase may be updated occasionally, to view the most recent data see this web map: https://arcg.is/jOnnK

There are 3 feature classes in the main geodatabase:

  1. Restoration Project Boundaries (“Restoration_Project_Boundaries”) Polygon feature class of restoration projects that fit the scope described above, and had thorough reference documentation available.

  2. Restoration Reference Points (“Resto_Reference_Points”) Projects and documents that fell just outside the scope of the Project Boundaries feature class, but are still relevant to the unique challenges of ecological restoration in Humboldt Bay.

  3. Eelgrass Mitigation Sites (“Eelgrass_mitigation_GILKERSON”) Polygon feature class depicting the known and documented history of eelgrass mitigation efforts conducted in support of regulatory compliance for projects implemented in Humboldt Bay from 1980-2012.

The rest of the data are within a feature dataset titled Reference: these feature classes are reference data directly relevant to restoration work in Humboldt Bay, such as benthic habitat and historic salt marsh extent.

Acknowledgements

The following people provided project locations, details, reference data, and/or feedback that significantly improved the content and quality of this data:

  • Aldaron Laird, environmental consultant

  • Adam Wagschal, environmental consultant

  • Whelan Gilkerson, local eelgrass expert

  • Hank Seemann, Humboldt County Public Works Deputy Director

  • Andrea Pickart, USFWS Biologist, dune restoration expert

  • Heidi Carpenter & Corianna Coyne, CDFW Marine Region

  • Kyle Morgan, Cal Poly Humboldt Librarian and Digital Commons Steward

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS