Westpoint Slough is the largest of several

sloughs A slough ( or ) is a wetland, usually a swamp or shallow lake, often a Backwater (river), backwater to a larger body of water. Water tends to be Water stagnation, stagnant or may flow slowly on a seasonal basis. In North America, "slough" may re ...

feeding into Redwood Creek in

San Mateo County, California San Mateo County ( ), officially the County of San Mateo, is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 764,442. Redwood City, California, Redwood City is th ...

, United States. This slough is surrounded by extensive undisturbed

marsh In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in genera ...

lands including Greco Island, which forms its northern boundary. The channel of Westpoint Slough contains considerable

mudflat Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal ...

areas; moreover, both the marshes and mudflats offer considerable habitat area for local and migratory wildlife, especially birds. Multinational corporation

Cargill Cargill, Incorporated is an American multinational food corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Minnetonka, Minnesota, and incorporated in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded in 1865 by William Wallace Cargill, it is the largest privately held c ...

currently owns of salt ponds adjacent to part of Westpoint Slough. Cargill, in conjunction with Arizona-based DMB Associates, has proposed a highly controversial development of 32,000 people and 12,000 houses on this open space. Pacific Shores Center sits along Westpoint Slough, as does Westpoint Harbor, which is open to the public. The Port of Redwood City, the City of Redwood City, and the Water Emergency Transit Authority are proposing to construct a commuter ferry terminal along the slough.

References

Marshes of California Bodies of water of San Mateo County, California Redwood City, California {{SanMateoCountyCA-geo-stub

See also

References