Summary

Description

The California Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will operate and maintain the South Bay Salt Ponds under this Initial Stewardship Plan ISP until the development of the longterm plan. Detailed design studies involving technical specialists in water quality, hydrology, soils, engineering and biologywetland ecology were used to prepare the ISP, which has the these objectives: to cease commercial salt operations; to introduce tidal hydrology to ponds where feasible; to maintain existing high quality open water and wetland wildlife habitat, including habitat for migratory and resident shorebirds and waterfowl; to assure ponds are maintained in a restorable condition to facilitate future longterm restoration; to minimize initial stewardship management costs; to meet all regulatory requirements, especially discharge requirements to maintain water quality standards in the South Bay.