Welcome to
the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project Web site

Wetlands are known as transition zones where the flow of water, the cycling of nutrients and the energy of the sun meet to produce a unique ecosystem characterized by moist soil and lush vegetation. They are often referred to as “nurseries of life” because they provide habitat for many vibrant and endangered species, as well as other migratory animals that may pass through the land over time.

The Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project provides neighboring communities a unique opportunity to benefit from and enjoy the many perks that wetlands have to offer, including a natural ability to protect and improve water quality, store floodwaters and provide many opportunities for education and recreation. The Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project encompasses three main objectives: (1) create a diverse array of wetland and wildlife habitats that benefit a number of threatened, endangered and other species, (2) reduce inwater disposal of dredged material and beneficially reuse dredged materials when feasible, and (3) facilitate the base-closure and reuse process of the former Army Airfield. 

The United States Army Corps of Engineers is the lead federal agency for the project and the California State Coastal Conservancy is the local sponsor. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission serves as a collaborating partner on the project. These three agencies are working together with the goal of returning the former wetlands to its natural state. The project represents an unprecedented opportunity to restore the ecological health of the San Francisco Bay, which has lost over 85 percent of its wetlands since the 1880s.

The Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project site is located four miles east of the City of Novato, in Marin County. The 988-acre project site is comprised of two parcels of land that will be managed as two phases of the project: the former Airfield and the north Antenna Field. The Corps is currently preparing the Airfield to accept dredged sediment a key aspect of the restoration project, while the Antenna Field awaits a final environmental cleanup. Eventually, both sites will be linked to the Bay via tidal channels. Immediately north of the project site is the 1,600-acre Bel Marin Keys area, expected to be added as a third phase of the project upon Congressional authorization. This addition will expand the total project site to nearly 2,500 acres. The entire site is bordered by the Hamilton residential and commercial community to the west, San Pablo Bay to the east, Novato Creek to the north and the Las Gallinas spray fields to the south. 

Hear more about the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project at YourWetlands.org.
Listen to indepth interviews giving historical, engineering and biological overviews of the project.