Elkhorn Slough
| Elkhorn Slough | |
| State Important Bird Area | |
 Aerial view of the mouth of Elkhorn Slough on Monterey Bay
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | California |
| District | Monterey County |
| City | Moss Landing |
| River | Salinas River |
| Coordinates | 36°49′33″N 121°45′25″W / 36.8259°N 121.7569°WCoordinates: 36°49′33″N 121°45′25″W / 36.8259°N 121.7569°W |
| Animal | Sea otter, Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, California red-legged frog, Long-billed curlew, Savannah sparrow, Tricolored blackbird |
| For public | yes |
 Location of Elkhorn Slough in California, USA
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Elkhorn Slough is a 7-mile-long (11 km) tidal slough and estuary on Monterey Bay in Monterey County, California. The community of Moss Landing and the Moss Landing Power Plant are located at the mouth of the slough on the bay.
Elkhorn Slough harbors the largest tract of tidal salt marsh in California outside of the San Francisco Bay and provides much-needed habitat for hundreds of species of plants and animals, including more than 340 species of birds.
Carneros Creek is the primary source of freshwater flowing into Elkhorn Slough. McClusky Slough to the north and Moro Cojo Slough to the south also provide freshwater inputs.
More than 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) of the watershed's 45,000 acres (18,000 ha) are protected under a mosaic of private and public ownership.
The nonprofit Elkhorn Slough Foundation is the single largest land owner in the watershed, with nearly 3,600 acres (1,500 ha). The nonprofit Nature Conservancy was the first to buy Elkhorn Slough property with the goal to protect the area's habitat and wildlife. The Nature Conservancy started with only 60 acres in 1971 and through gifts and purchases of disjointed parcels, gained over 800 acres (320 ha) by September 2012, when it transferred 750 acres (300 ha) to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. The Foundation already managed conservation on these parcels.
The Elkhorn Slough State Marine Reserve (SMR) covers 1.48 square miles (3.8 km2). The SMR protects all marine life within its boundaries. It is managed by the California Department of Fish & Game (DFG) in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Fishing and take of all living marine resources is prohibited. It includes the waters below mean high tide within Elkhorn Slough lying:
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Wikipedia