Since 1989, 160 hectares of Sturgeon Bank’s 543 ha tidal marsh has died and converted to mudflats. Ongoing river maintenance activities and river training structures have fundamentally altered the development of the Fraser River Delta by preventing the delivery of sediment and freshwaters to the delta front. 

The Sturgeon Bank Sediment Enhancement Pilot is an opportunity to test, refine, and evaluate how strategic sediment deposition can help restore tidal marsh and support ecological rejuvenation. The primary objectives are to demonstrate concept feasibility, evaluate the environmental response, and enhance the resilience of the Fraser River Delta foreshore biophysical system through an innovative approach to restoring tidal marshes. Sediment deposition is expected to increase marsh elevation, which:

• Reduces inundation stress on low elevation tidal marsh vegetation, enabling growth in areas where the marsh had previously receded

• Provides an elevation buffer for the existing tidal marsh to remain resilient with the anticipated increase in sea level over the coming decades

Piloting a locally-customized sediment enhancement method provides opportunities to evaluate the challenges, opportunities, feasibility and efficacy of a nature-based solution that simultaneously can support ecological resilience, community goals, and flood safety.

This project is led by Ducks Unlimited Canada in partnership with Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Tsawwassen First Nation, and the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance. Funding provided by the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund, Tsawwassen First Nation, and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.