The Pacific coastlines of Sonoma and Marin counties are dominated by agricultural uses, with fewer developed areas than other parts of coastal California. While most of this region consists of rocky, inaccessible coastline, there are pockets of high recreational use like Stinson Beach and Sonoma State Beaches. Sediment challenges in this area include erosion of beaches, landslides, collapses of coastal bluffs, accumulation within bays and estuaries, and blockages of river mouths, and sediment management focuses on natural habitat function and existing infrastructure (like Highway 1).
To address these challenges, the Greater Farallones Association (Association) and Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (Sanctuary) completed the Sonoma-Marin Coastal Regional Sediment Management Report (CRSMR) in March 2018, with supporting funds from the State of California. The CRSMR presents 17 overarching regional recommendations and 14 site-specific recommendations (8 in Sonoma County and 6 in Marin County), which will inform the statewide Sediment Management Master Plan.
