The Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project

One of the Original Alternatives 
"Alternative 5"
Later Revised Because it Was Too Drastic
Courtesy of SMBRC

The Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project is a planned restoration of the Ballona Wetlands by the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission and Foundation. The Plan will restore the tidal flow into the degrading wetlands near Playa Del Rey and Marina Del Rey, and will remove the concrete levees of the Ballona Creek that which was channeled in 1938.

Since 2008 SMBRC created five alternative means of restoration, which were later narrowed it down to two  revised possible plans: "alternative 4", and "alternative 5".

Alternative four involved creating many culverts from Marina Del Rey into the northern portion of the wetlands, creating a tidal influence into the degraded section. It also included more culverts into the southern half of the wetlands, also increasing its tidal influence. This alternative did not include the removal of the levees in the creek.


Alternative 4
Courtesy of SMBRC

Alternative five, which was revised from a major diversion of the creek into a less drastic measure. It involved the removal of most of the levees and the diversion of the creek into a more meandering route, into the northern and southern portion of the wetlands. This alternative involved changing the path of a portion of Culver Blvd. in the wetlands. This alternative is considered by many as "risky" due to the exposure of the wetlands to the direct influence of the runoff and trash from the creek.


Alternative 5
Courtesy of SMBRC



The Current Preferred Alternative
Courtesy of SMBRC

Alternative five was later thought to be the most effective alternative in restoring the wetlands, and alternative four was ruled out. In January 2012 funding for the project was approved, and the alternative was revised even more. The cost of changing the path of Culver Blvd. was found to be very costly, so it was ruled out. Instead, the path of the creek would be changed slightly, and a levee on the north side of Culver Blvd. would be built. Also it was decided that the portion of the wetlands south of Culver Blvd. would be made into a "managed marsh" that would only be fed by culverts that could manage the amount of sea water entering, to prevent the over-flooding of the portion of the wetlands due to sea level rise.

Information Retrieved from:
http://www.santamonicabay.org/BWRP/bwrpdocuments.html