St. Francis Yacht Club – Speakers: Letitia Grenier, PhD, Senior Scientist; Amy Hutzel, Dep. Executive Officer, San Francisco Estuary Institute
What if Bay Area cities used the up to three million cubic yards of sediment annually dredged from the Bay’s shipping channels to restore wetlands on the perimeter of the Bay, rather than dropping such soils into the deepest parts of the Bay or out at sea? The estimated cost of $25 million to $35 million per year would be far less expensive than building seawalls or making emergency fixes to flooded highways and airports. This is one of many innovative recommendations of the San Francisco Estuary Institute. Letitia has previously investigated bioaccumulation of contaminants in estuarine food webs and the revitalization of California’s wetlands. Amy focuses on protecting open space and restoring wetlands and riparian habitats.