San Elijo Lagoon, Coastal wetland reserve in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, US
San Elijo Lagoon is a coastal wetland where two creeks meet the ocean, creating zones of salt marsh, brackish water, and open lagoon. The reserve spans nearly 1,000 acres with interconnected channels and shallow areas that shift with the tides.
The lagoon was a natural tidal system until the 1880s when farming and grazing upriver changed the water flow and sediment patterns. This transformation created the wetland structure that exists today.
The Nature Center displays how the lagoon serves as habitat for numerous plant and animal species found throughout the reserve. Visitors learn about the ecological relationships that make this wetland a living system worth protecting.
The lagoon is accessible daily from sunrise to sunset through multiple entry points with trails of varying difficulty. Bring binoculars and wear layers, as wind off the water can change weather conditions quickly throughout the day.
The lagoon serves as a nursery habitat where young fish grow before swimming to the open ocean, supporting commercial and recreational fishing. This underwater school for juvenile fish is invisible from shore but crucial to the region's fisheries.
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