Our Mission:
The Mission of the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District is to Facilitate Conservation and Stewardship of the Natural Resources in Contra Costa County.
The Peyton Slough Wetlands Advisory Committee and McNabney Marsh
A Brief History
The Peyton Slough Wetlands Advisory Committee (Committee) got its start during the Shell Martinez Refinery oil spill cleanup effort at Shell Marsh in 1988. Community involvement in the cleanup led to forming the Shell Marsh Technical Advisory Committee. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District (CCMVCD), and Mt. View Sanitary District (MVSD) took the lead early on by creating clear goals and objectives for managing the 138-acre seasonal wetland. The Committee was particularly well guided by Mike Rugg, biologist with CDFW (previously California Department of Fish and Game), in the formation of a Management Plan.
The Committee members honored Al McNabney, a founding member of the group and a representative for the Mount Diablo Audubon Society, by naming the marsh in honor of his tireless efforts to protect the site as wildlife habitat. In 1992 the advisory group became the McNabney Marsh Management Advisory Committee. In 2006, the group was renamed the Peyton Slough Wetlands Advisory Committee, and MVSD and CDFW’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) currently co-chair the organization. As of January 2020, the PSWAC is made up of representatives from the following organizations:
The Committee’s goals for McNabney Marsh include enhancing wetland habitats, controlling mosquitoes and algae, improving water quality, reducing flood risk, and improving public access. MVSD and Ducks Unlimited are spearheading the effort to fund the McNabney Marsh Enhancement Project, an estimated $7 million effort to improve water and habitat quality through the replacement of a Union Pacific Railroad bridge over Peyton Slough to allow greater water exchange in the marsh. Other planned habitat enhancements include the replacement/upgrade of water control structures, the importation of clean sediment to raise the marsh plain, improvement of levees, invasive plant removal, and the creation of earthen islands to increase ground nesting habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl.
The Committee members honored Al McNabney, a founding member of the group and a representative for the Mount Diablo Audubon Society, by naming the marsh in honor of his tireless efforts to protect the site as wildlife habitat. In 1992 the advisory group became the McNabney Marsh Management Advisory Committee. In 2006, the group was renamed the Peyton Slough Wetlands Advisory Committee, and MVSD and CDFW’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) currently co-chair the organization. As of January 2020, the PSWAC is made up of representatives from the following organizations:
- CCMVCD
- CDFW
- CDFW-OSPR
- Contra Costa Resource Conservation District
- Ducks Unlimited
- East Bay Regional Park District
- Eco Services
- Marathon Petroleum
- Mount Diablo Audubon Society
- MVSD
- Shell Martinez Refinery.
The Committee’s goals for McNabney Marsh include enhancing wetland habitats, controlling mosquitoes and algae, improving water quality, reducing flood risk, and improving public access. MVSD and Ducks Unlimited are spearheading the effort to fund the McNabney Marsh Enhancement Project, an estimated $7 million effort to improve water and habitat quality through the replacement of a Union Pacific Railroad bridge over Peyton Slough to allow greater water exchange in the marsh. Other planned habitat enhancements include the replacement/upgrade of water control structures, the importation of clean sediment to raise the marsh plain, improvement of levees, invasive plant removal, and the creation of earthen islands to increase ground nesting habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl.
Activities in PEyton Slough/McNabney Marsh
Earth Day 2020!
Earth Day Cleanup at McNabney Marsh
May 9th, 2020
Past Events in the watershed
California Coastal Cleanup Day 2018 & 2019!
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