Poseidon, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Break Ground on 125-Acre Otay River Estuary Restoration Project

    CARLSBAD, CA, October 22, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Poseidon Resources (Channelside) LP and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today commemorated the start of construction on the Otay River Estuary Restoration Project. The project will create, restore and enhance approximately 125 acres of coastal wetland and salt marsh habitat in the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge to protect native fish, wildlife and plant species.

"It is more important now than ever to protect and preserve our coastal environment," said George Dowden, President of the Friends of San Diego Wildlife Refuges. "We applaud Poseidon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their continued dedication to preserving our beautiful coastline and promoting environmental sustainability."

San Diego Bay is home to several threatened and endangered wildlife species who depend on the mudflats and salt marshes that have slowly been lost over the years. The light-footed Ridgeway's rail, California least tern and salt marsh bird's-beak are among those that have been most impacted by the loss of coastal habitats.

The Otay River Estuary Restoration Project will restore the former and active salt ponds located within the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge with an estimated 350,000 cubic yards of soil to restore the intertidal habitat back to its natural condition. In doing so, the project will create new foraging, nesting and breeding habitat for colonial nesting seabirds, migratory shorebirds, waterfowl and salt marsh-dependent species – all of which contribute to a healthy ecosystem for the San Diego region.

"This project builds upon the Carlsbad Desalination Plant's long history of preserving our coastal environment," said Poseidon President Sachin Chawla. "We remain committed to being stewards of the environment and helping San Diego County have a sustainable and local water supply for decades."

In 2008, Poseidon committed to developing and implementing a Marine Life Mitigation Plan to mitigate environmental impacts from the Claude "Bud" Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, a private-public partnership between Poseidon and the San Diego County Water Authority to provide the San Diego region with a sustainable source of high-quality drinking water. Since this time, Poseidon has worked diligently with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, California Coastal Commission, Port of San Diego, San Diego County Water Authority, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, City of San Diego, City of Chula Vista, and other key partners to deliver the Otay River Estuary Restoration Project, which fulfils this commitment.

The Carlsbad Desalination Plant is the first to comply with the California Ocean Plan Amendment to advance the use of ocean water as a reliable supplement to traditional water supplies while protecting marine life and water quality. Operational since December 2015, the Carlsbad Desalination Plant has provided 50 million gallons of fresh, desalinated drinking water per day, and delivered more than 90 billion gallons of drinking water to date. The Carlsbad Desalination Plant is the largest, most technologically advanced and energy-efficient seawater desalination plant in the Western Hemisphere and is the result of a 30-year Water Purchase Agreement between the San Diego County Water Authority and Poseidon Water for the entire output of the plant.

The Otay River Estuary Restoration Project is expected to be completed in approximately four years.

For more information, please visit the project website at carlsbaddesal.com/mitigation and https://fws.gov/story/otay-river-estuary-restoration-project.

Poseidon Resources is a private company that partners with public agencies to deliver water infrastructure projects. The company's primary focus is developing large-scale reverse osmosis seawater desalination plants implemented through innovative public-private partnerships in which private enterprise assumes the developmental and financial risks. For more information on Poseidon's Carlsbad Desalination Plant, visit the plant website at www.carlsbaddesal.com. For more information on Poseidon's Huntington Beach desalination plant, visit the project website at HBfreshwater.com.

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