Bataquitos Lagoon wildflowers in bloom

Maybe you’ve heard about California’s rainfall this year—record year, flooding, road closures, etc. Down here in the southern half of the state, we haven’t been hit as hard as our northern neighbors. But there is good news. Wildflowers. We’re being treated this year to what’s called a superbloom. We saw it at Bataquitos Lagoon, where the wildflowers were fully blooming.

Bataquitos Lagoon – the basics

Bataquitos Lagoon is a coastal wetland and estuary in north San Diego County on the southern end of Carlsbad. The Bataquitos Lagoon Foundation, a private nonprofit organization, helps ensure the lagoon is a sanctuary for local wildlife and native plant species. 

The outing

Since discovering Bataquitos several years ago, it’s been one of my favorite local places to get away—the calm waters are soothing, the wildlife is easy to spot, and it’s typically not very crowded. What I don’t usually think of are wildflowers. So those were an unexpected bonus during our recent trip. As you can see from the photos, they were lovely, reaching high for the sun in the sky.

Bataquitos Lagoon nearly lost to development

The lagoon has existed for more than 9,000 years, but in the 1870s, the ecosystem began to change. Farming and ranching encroached on the lagoon’s natural collection basin. With more development came fewer ways for the lagoon’s natural systems to replenish themselves. It wasn’t until 1997 that the situation was reversed when the Port of Los Angeles and other local governments undertook a restoration project for the lagoon. The project reopened the lagoon to the sea, the natural tidal actions returned, and the natural flushing and replenishment of the lagoon waters began to work their magic. 

Thanks to that restoration project, Bataquitos Lagoon is once again alive and pristine, filled with fish, shorebirds, native plants, and, of course, wildflowers in bloom. Did you see last week’s entry? You can find it at The Cooper-Molera Adobe and its gardens. Click here to view more Friday Morning Post entries, or you can follow me on Instagram.