A construction project that started more than a decade ago to restore the wetlands in the San Dieguito Lagoon is finally close to being done.
You might have noticed the project when driving on Interstate 5 through Del Mar.
The goal is to turn an area that used to be agricultural fields into saltwater wetlands.
Crews are working on removing more than 1 million cubic yards of soil. That's more than 300 swimming pools worth of soil.
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"We're finally connecting our newly-created wetlands to the larger system of wetlands that is within the San Dieguito River Valley, so the tidal circulation from the ocean is going to be able to come in and fill our wetlands," Kim Smith, senior regional planner with SANDAG, told NBC 7.
The project will also create a new trail connecting the Dust Devil Nature Trail to El Camino Real.
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Planning for this project began in 2012. It's expected to be completed by October. The project cost $87 million, mostly from SANDAG's Environmental Mitigation Program.
