The site of the current Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project was historically a tidal salt marsh until a levee was constructed along the Bay margin and the land reclaimed for agricultural purposes in the late 1800s. Funds were appropriated for the construction of Hamilton Army Airfield in 1931 and the facility was in operation until 1974. The base has been in the process of closure under the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Act since 1988. The United States Army Corps of Engineers, the State Coastal Conservancy, and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission teamed to convert the closure of Hamilton Army Airfield into a wetland restoration area as part of the Base Realignment and Closure Act. The initial Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project Feasibility Study was completed in 1998 (USACE 1998). The Basis of Design for the Seasonal and Tidal Wetlands was completed in 2008 (USACE 2008). The functional purpose of the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project is to create a diverse array of wetland and wildlife habitats at the Hamilton Army Airfield parcel. This will benefit a number of endangered species as well as other migratory and resident species. The project area has subsided so site elevations must be raised in order for the wetland to function properly. The wetland restoration project will benefit the San Francisco Bay regions because it provides a beneficial reuse site for dredged material and thus avoids the adverse environmental impacts of open water disposal. At the same time, it creates a high value wetland for habitat. The Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project is characterized by a system of levees, a large tidal wetland area, a system of seasonal wetlands (north seasonal wetland and south seasonal wetland), internal berms, and a wildlife corridor connecting the northern seasonal wetland with the southern seasonal wetland.

Photos are of North Seasonal Wetland Area

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[caption id="attachment_1141" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Looking North Prior to Construction"][/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_1142" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Looking South during Construction"][/caption]

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The Buena Vista Lagoon is a two hundred acre Ecological Reserve located along the northwest boundary of the City of Carlsbad and the southwest boundary of the City of Oceanside. In 1991, the Buena Vista Lagoon Foundation proposed building a boardwalk at the lagoon’s western end that would run beside the lagoon connecting the Audubon Nature Center in Oceanside with Maxton Brown Park in Carlsbad alongside the Carlsbad Boulevard - South Coast Highway roadway. The boardwalk would literally build a bridge between Oceanside and Carlsbad that would provide a way for visitors to enjoy the amenities of both cities, keeping pedestrians and fisherman somewhat removed from the heavily-traveled roadway. In addition, the boardwalk would give pedestrians, bicyclists, and bird watchers better access to the lagoon. At this conceptual stage, it is envisioned that the boardwalk would be built of timber given its naturalistic appearance. Conforming with all state and local codes, the boardwalk will include handrails on both sides, walking surface, viewing decks, and will incorporate access paths and ramps to facilitate easy pedestrian flow and handicapped accessibility. It will not feature changes in elevation to facilitate the transit of the handicapped user. All timber used in the construction of the boardwalk will be treated to prevent decay from insect attack, biological decay, ultraviolet light exposure, stress from wetting and drying, and moisture. The boardwalk will be constructed over the shoreline and shoals with none or minimal water surface underneath it.     (read more...)

Noble Consultants, Inc. is looking for a qualified Design Engineer Design Engineer with 5 or more years of experience in the engineering design of waterfront facilities and/or earth retention structures for public works projects utilizing timber, concrete, steel and other materials. Responsibilities will include structural design analysis, preparation of construction drawing using AutoCAD, and preparation of construction bid documents. (read more...)

Irvine, CA - 11/12/2010 Noble Consultants, Inc. has hired Move Up Media in Laguna Niguel, CA to completely redesign and develop their website. We're excited to show you our new look and features in 2011! The new site is scheduled to go live early January 2011.

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