“Last Mile”

The last mile of Watsonville Slough is a vital link between Monterey Bay and the Watsonville Sloughs System. This slough system is a network of approximately 800 acres of coastal salt marsh, seasonal wetlands, brackish and freshwater emergent marsh and riparian communities. The sloughs receive runoff from a 13,000 acre watershed area which includes a mix of urban, industrial, rural residential, agricultural and open space areas.

Only 5% of California’s coastal wetlands remain. The preservation of the “last mile” is critical to the health and vitality of the entire slough system. This “drainage ditch” is an environmental resource of tremendous value as a vital stopover for the Pacific Coast flyway and a habitat for a diverse set of native plants that support it .

The environs of the Watsonville Sloughs are a highly valued and unique wetland resource situated adjacent to Monterey Bay within the California central coast. Six individual sloughs (Watsonville, Harkins, Struve, West Branch Struve, Gallighan, and Hanson) sustain large wetland marsh and riparian habitats for a variety of wildlife and native plants. The adjoining hillsides and upland areas contain important wildlife areas including grassland, oak woodland and chaparral habitats. Economically important agricultural production occurs throughout much of the Watsonville Sloughs Watershed.

Watsonville Sloughs Watershed Conservation and Enhancement Plan (WSCEP)

In 2003, the Watsonville Sloughs Watershed Conservation and Enhancement Plan (WSCEP) was developed for the County of Santa Cruz Planning Department to specify feasible measures that address the long-term protection and enhancement of the Watsonville Sloughs system’s ecological values, and the needs of agriculture and other land uses. The WSCEP was designed to provide a future vision and a guide for many agencies, organizations and individual landowners.  Friends of Pajaro Dunes was involved in the development of WSCEP’s implementation plan for the lower Watsonville Slough system.   View the entire plan here.

Last Mile Restoration Plan

In 2004, Friends of Pajaro Dunes developed a restoration plan for the “last mile” with Kathy Lyon of Biotic Research Group in Soquel.   Kathy was the biology consultant on the WSCEP.   The development of this plan enabled the Watsonville Wetlands Watch and the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County to begin work on this important part of the Watsonville Slough.

The component parts of the plan can be viewed below.

Read the Watsonville Slough – Last Mile Vegetation Management and Enhancement Plan.

Read the Detailed Schedule of Management and Enhancement Actions.