Wildlands has established the San Luis Rey Wetland Mitigation Bank along the San Luis Rey river in the City of Oceanside in northern San Diego County. The Bank was approved in 2014 by multiple natural resource regulatory agencies led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region. The Bank provides mitigation credits for unavoidable permitted impacts to federal and state jurisdictional wetlands, waters, and other habitat types.

The Bank was designed to rehabilitate and re-establish wetland functions and habitat on an important stretch of the San Luis Rey river. Before restoration, the river and floodplain within the Bank site was highly degraded – channelized, incised, armored banks, dominated by invasive species, and floodplain filled to maximize cropland. The objective is to significantly increase wetland functions and reestablish the historic floodplain of the river to increase riparian vegetation, which will provide important habitat for state and federally listed endangered species including the least Bell’s vireo, southwestern willow flycatcher, and arroyo toad.

Construction and restoration of the Bank was completed in the fall of 2015, resulting in a mosaic of restored river channel, riparian wetlands, floodplain, and buffer. With earthwork and planting now complete, the Bank is undergoing rigorous maintenance and monitoring to ensure long-term success. Long-term protection of the Bank is ensured with a permanent conservation easement and non-wasting endowment.

Covered Mitigation Types:

• Wetland Waters of the U.S./State (Rehabilitated River)
• Wetland Waters of the U.S./State (Re-established River)
• Waters of the U.S./State (Re-established Floodplain)
• State Jurisdictional/Non-waters (Re-established Floodplain)
• Non-waters (Re-established Grassland Buffer)