• The San Francisco Bay estuary has experienced tremendous human population growth during the past 150 years and a subsequent loss of natural habitats and degradation of water quality.
• More than 91% of the tidal wetlands has been lost to reclamation for farmland, salt evaporation ponds, and residential or industrial propert.
• Many native species dependent on tidal wetlands are now endangered or candidate species for listing.

The goal of this research project was to examine the ecological and hydrological function of the Napa-Sonoma salt ponds and their importance for waterbirds, including integrated studies on primary productivity, macroinvertebrates, plants, and fishes. This progress report presents the preliminary research results from the first year of the fieldwork.