Video:  Tour Caltrans’s wetlands restoration in Montara

Huge kudos to Darin and Barry for providing these videos. For those of us who work over the hill, and can't make these meetings, tours, and local events, the videos provide insight that we would never have on important local events. The videos are well edited, and very informative. Thank you both for the time and work you've put into this effort. Without Coastsider, I would have no objective view into any of these important local projects.

One question - where is the $2 million coming from? I assume CalTrans?

Anyone checked a respectable dictionary definition of "restoration" lately?

Carl May

I live a few blocks from the newly created Montara wetlands. When it was "dry" land, I hiked through the area every evening.

Now that the area has been changed, I am wondering about the water that will be in the big hole that was created. What will be the source of fresh water flow for this wetland? Will this water drain through a pipe under Highway 1, down to the ocean?

Or will this water be stagnant, non-flowing water? Since mosquitoes breed in standing stagnant water, I am wondering what will be done to prevent mosquito breeding and West Nile Virus? This artificial wetland is very close to many homes.

I am extremely sensitive to mosquito bites, so our family has checked our yard once a week to remove anything (old buckets, old flower pots) that might collect water. People over the age of 50 are at the highest risk for developing severe West Nile disease. Both my husband and I are over age 50.

Most often, the water in wetlands come from rivers and drains into the ocean. (e.g. Sacramento River, countless smaller rivers, and streams.) However, the elevated Highway 1 makes this difficult unless there are drain pipes under the Highway.

If the water is not fresh flowing, then won't algae and other muck start growing. Are there plants that can thrive in stagnant water? If there is no fresh inflow of water, won't the plants start to decay and die annually? Or will this area be linked to a local stream?

Could someone explain the official plan on how the wetland developers intend to keep mosquitoes from breeding so close to private homes?

I would greatly appreciate understanding this more fully. I have been traveling out of the country and perhaps missed the details on this.

Linda Rutherford

This is in response to Linda,s concern over the new wetlands. Am afraid to create a puddle in my backyard of my home that i have been in for over 35+ years lest Kermit the sacred red legged froggie move in & i be evicted out of my home, & my home be turned into a 1/2 way house for Kermit & his friends. Still remember when a Kermit was found on the site of the bypass in 95 where none were before, did anyone check to see if the Kermit was a Toys R Us specie? Wetlands is a buzzword along with infrastructure these days. Am 67 years old & indangered but who cares, am only a human stuck in traffic. Hope someone put,s a mirror under my nose to see if im still alive when stuck in traffic. Notice Sierra Club commitee for Green Foothills not saying a word over this latest tunnel fiasco. Cause they are saying to themselves "Boy are we glad we conned the Calif. taxpayer into this expensive longer to build dangerous tunnel!" before this latest slide closure. Linda maybe a bug eating Kermit the sacred red legged frogie will move into the new wetlands & eat the mosquitoes & other bugs. At least he can earn his keep.