YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 16, No. 14
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Restoration project underway by Tony Kukulich Staff Writer
A ground-breaking wetland restoration project that has been more than 15 years in the making is now just weeks away from breaking ground in Oakley. The Dutch Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration project is slated to start construction next month. The project is an effort by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to restore nearly 1,200 acres of critically needed habitat for fish and wildlife in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. A DWR description of the project states the restoration of these habitats is considered a critical action to increase numbers of native sensitive species and improve general ecological health of the Delta. “This is large-scale restoration that everybody’s been talking about,” said Mike Moran, supervising naturalist at Big Break Regional Shoreline. “If you’re going to do habitat restoration, you can’t
Photo by Tony Kukulich
DWR program manager Patty Finfrock, above, is part of the team working on the Dutch Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration Project. The large-scale project is expected to improve the health of the Delta. do little parcels. You really need to connect big chunks of habitat so that, not only do you have corridors, but it’s big enough to buffer against changes like drought.” The project encompasses
three parcels of land – the Emerson, Gilbert and Burroughs parcels – and will restore them to a combination of wetland, upland and open water habitats. The impacted area is roughly bordered by Dutch
Slough to the north, the Contra Costa Canal to the south, Marsh Creek to the west and Jersey Island Road to the east. These lands were most recently used as pasture land for dairy farms. Prior to Oakley’s incorporation, the county planned to develop the property and build up to 6,000 homes on the property. That plan changed with Oakley’s incorporation. “The restoration area was slated for homes by the county, but when the city incorporated, the city council voted to designate that 1,200 acres as open space,” explained Oakley City Manager Bryan Montgomery. “I’m not sure there is another city our size that has designated so much land for open space.” The origins of the Dutch Slough restoration go back at least to 2002. DWR program manager Patty Finfrock credited John Cain, who at the time worked for the Natural Heritage Institute, with identisee Restoration page 22A
Town celebrating milestone by Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent
The Town of Discovery Bay is gearing up to celebrate 20 years as a Community Services District (CSD). This small Delta town has grown leaps and bounds since it began as a cluster of vacation homes on Lido Bay and is now a thriving municipality with multiple shopping centers, public and private schools and a full-service yacht harbor. Before becoming a bustling town, and even before it was a weekend destination for those seeking to enjoy the Delta lifestyle, Discovery Bay was a marshland that saw a rich California history. Native Ameri-
“ We were low on budget. But somebody had
to do it – I did it, we all did it – and then we started to grow.
cans roamed the wetlands of East Contra Costa County 500 years ago before the Spanish Explorers came through, followed by mountain men and trappers in search of the river otters that populated the area. By 1900, the land had passed into the affluent hands of the Baird Family and was used for farming. In the ’60s, the land called
Byron Tract was acquired by the Hoffman Company, a developer who took plans for Discovery Bay to the county, where it was almost named Riverlake. In 1970, the first lot was sold for a mere $12,000 and the Delta’s premier summer destination was officially under construction. Kathy Leighton, a local historian, said that by the
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1980s, the town’s population had started to shift. “Discovery Bay originally drew buyers looking for a weekend getaway,” Leighton said. “By 1989, the population shifted to about 75 percent year-round homeowners.” The increase in perennial residents drove the community to form a Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC). Formed in 1992, the MAC’s purpose was to give the local population a voice to the county. Six years later, residents petitioned the MAC and Contra Costa County for the CSD. A vote was held, and the CSD was approved by over 90 percent of
April 6, 2018
Local Finds Price Is Right
Brentwood resident gets his chance to “come on down” on iconic TV game show. Page 4A
HD Burgers And More
Popular burger restaurant offers new twist on traditional favorites. Page 8A
Starting Off With A Bang
Liberty boys’ track team kicks off season with a win at the Delta Mustang Invitational in Stockton. Page 1B
see Town page 22A
Calendar.............................23A Classifieds............................ 5B Cop Logs............................. 11B Entertainment.................... 8A Food....................................... 9A Health & Beauty...............20A Milestones.........................11A Pets......................................14A Sports.................................... 1B
ECCFPD Update
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Fire Chief Brian Helmick updates community on the district’s plans for the future.
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Health officials urge the public to get know their tuberculosis status.