San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge is an urban refuge located on San Diego Bay
in San Diego County, California
. It is part of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex
. It was dedicated in June 1999.
The refuge, comprising 316 acres (1.3 km²) of salt marsh
and coastal upland
s surrounded by urban development, is a critically important area for wildlife because over 90 percent of the historic wetland
s of San Diego Bay have been filled in, drained, or diked.
Sweetwater Marsh provides habitat for four endangered
or threatened species
, including the Light-footed Clapper rail
. It is also the only place in the United States where Yerba reuma, a member of the heath family, grows naturally. More than 200 species of birds have been recorded on the refuge.
With 90 to 100% of submerged lands, intertidal mudflat
s, and salt marshes eliminated in the north and central Bay, the South Bay unit of the refuge will preserve and restore the remaining wetlands, mudflats and eel grass beds to ensure that the bay's thousands of migrating and resident shorebirds and waterfowl will survive into the next century. The approved refuge boundary is 3940 acres (15.9 km²).
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
in San Diego County, California
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
. It is part of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex
San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex
The San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a series of wildlife refuges established by the United States National Wildlife Service beginning in 1972. The complex incorporates six locations in San Diego County and Orange County in California.-History:...
. It was dedicated in June 1999.
The refuge, comprising 316 acres (1.3 km²) of salt marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
and coastal upland
Highland (geography)
The term highland or upland is used to denote any mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau. Generally speaking, the term upland tends to be used for ranges of hills, typically up to 500-600m, and highland for ranges of low mountains.The Scottish Highlands refers to the mountainous...
s surrounded by urban development, is a critically important area for wildlife because over 90 percent of the historic wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s of San Diego Bay have been filled in, drained, or diked.
Sweetwater Marsh provides habitat for four endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
or threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
, including the Light-footed Clapper rail
Clapper Rail
The Clapper Rail is a member of the rail family, Rallidae. Some researchers believe that this bird and the similar King Rail are a single species; the two birds are known to interbreed.-Distribution and habitat:...
. It is also the only place in the United States where Yerba reuma, a member of the heath family, grows naturally. More than 200 species of birds have been recorded on the refuge.
With 90 to 100% of submerged lands, intertidal mudflat
Mudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats, are coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers. They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries. Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of...
s, and salt marshes eliminated in the north and central Bay, the South Bay unit of the refuge will preserve and restore the remaining wetlands, mudflats and eel grass beds to ensure that the bay's thousands of migrating and resident shorebirds and waterfowl will survive into the next century. The approved refuge boundary is 3940 acres (15.9 km²).