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Crescent City Council endorses Smith River Alliance plan to restore Lower Elk Creek wetlands
Summary
After a presentation from Smith River Alliance, the council unanimously approved a letter endorsing a proposed restoration of 120 acres of the Elk Creek Wildlife Area to improve coastal resilience, fish habitat and recreation, and encouraged public participation at upcoming listening sessions.
Smith River Alliance told the Crescent City Council on Nov. 3 that a proposed Lower Elk Creek wetland enhancement could restore roughly 120 acres of state-managed Elk Creek Wildlife Area to improve coastal resilience, fish habitat and limited recreational access.
Grant Wurst, the Alliance presenter, said the restoration study outlines three alternatives that would remove historic fill, re-establish more native channels, expand floodplain connectivity and increase the wetland’s ability to buffer storm surge and moderate tsunami-type flows. He said the site is owned and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and that funding conversations are already under way with CDFW, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and NOAA.
Wurst described two public listening sessions set for Thursday (2–4 p.m. and 6–8 p.m. at the fairgrounds) and urged residents to RSVP or use a QR-coded survey posted on the project flyer and the Alliance’s website. He and staff emphasized that the project would require standard permitting from state and other agencies and that material removed during restoration would need to be placed where it would not create future inundation risks.
During public comment, a resident raised concerns about the airport’s financial status and the ongoing cost to local taxpayers, and another warned that restored river trails in other cities had sometimes been followed by increased encampments and public-safety issues. Wurst and councilors replied that public outreach, design options and enforcement strategies are part of planning and that several alternatives include differing levels of public access and trails.
After discussion, a motion to approve a letter from the city endorsing the Lower Elk Creek wetland enhancement project passed unanimously. Mayor Altman and several councilors framed the endorsement around coastal-resilience benefits and habitat restoration. The Alliance will continue outreach and technical work; the council encouraged staff and partners to ensure information about listening sessions and surveys is broadly available.
What’s next: Smith River Alliance will hold the advertised listening sessions and accept public comment via the project survey; the council’s endorsement will be forwarded to the Alliance as a letter of support.
