Eelgrass & Kelp:
What’s Growing Under Alameda Waters?

Meet Eelgrass!

Whether you're swimming in the bay or participating in water sports, you will most likely spot some broken off eelgrass floating at the water's surface. So what is eelgrass? Eelgrass, or Zostera, is a type of flowering underwater plant. It grows in shallow, sandy or muddy areas of the bay and provides a habitat for fish, crab, baby sharks, and other baby aquatic life! Eelgrass also helps clean water of pollutants, prevent erosion, and store greenhouse gas. 

An easy way to spot eelgrass is to look out for long flat ribbon like leaves (almost like green spaghetti)!

Meet Kelp!

Kelp, not to be confused with eelgrass, is a type of seaweed (a large brown algae). Kelp usually grows in colder, shallow waters along the outer coast. Kelp latch on to rocks and usually grow in nutrient rich shorelines along the Bay. Kelp forests are ocean superheroes—both a home and restaurant to sea otters and lots of other sea life!

An easy way to spot kelp is to look out for large wide leaves that are slippery in texture. Some kelp grows up to 2 feet a day—that’s taller than a second grader!

So...What’s in Alameda Waters?

Kelp is primarily found in the broader area of San Francisco, whereas eelgrass is primarily found in Alameda's shallow bays. Over the past years, more and more people have realized the importance of eelgrass. Healthy eelgrass = happy fish, clean water, and a fighting chance with climate change! Now, there have been more efforts to protect and restore eelgrass beds in the Bay. 

To help eelgrass thrive, make sure not to trample on eelgrass and support clean water efforts. If you or your family go boating, make sure not to anchor, drive too fast, or run motors near shallow, sandy areas. At home, you can also help by reducing run-off and fertilizer usage.

Next time you're at Crown Beach, think about what’s growing beneath the surface—and how you can help it thrive!