| Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach Development The Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach are combined to form one of the largest port facilities in the United States. In 2007, the two ports handled more than 15 million containers of cargo with a value of over $300 billion. Given the increased demand for imported and exported products, continued development of the two ports is a necessity given the lack of a feasible less environmentally impacting alternative locations. Historically, the two port areas formed an approximately 3,500 wetland system known as the Wilmington Lagoon. Early development activities of the two ports and the discharge of sewage wastes resulted in the near elimination of the former historic wetlands and drastic reduction in water quality to remaining marine water habitat areas. However, with implementation of more stringent water quality standards and the elimination of sewage discharges, habitat quality improved significantly and, today, the subtidal and intertidal habitat serve as important habitat for a variety of marine fish species. Because of the protective functions served by the outer breakwater, this habitat mimics to some degree the nursery habitat functions of the former wetland that was located in this area. In particular, the outer and inner harbor areas are important habitat for a variety of juvenile fish species some of which are of commercial and recreational importance. Given the habitat values that currently exist within the two harbors, the resource agencies (i.e., National Marine Fisheries Service, California Department of Fish and Game, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have determined that adverse impacts from necessary port development projects should be offset through the restoration of degraded wetland in the southern California region. There have been four major wetland restoration projects completed to date that have served as mitigation for Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach developments. Those four projects include restoration activities completed at Upper Newport Bay, Seal Beach Wildlife Refuge, Batiquitos Lagoon, and the Bolsa Chica wetlands. The later two projects were completed at a cost of more than $200 million and resulted in the restoration of more than 1,500 acres of wetland and related habitat. Back To Southern California Coastal and Estuarine Page 07/18/08 |
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