The Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve is home to a unique horizontal levee project that blends into the natural scenery and mimics the functions of a natural estuary. Designed to interact with Bay waters like natural estuaries, the project uses treated wastewater to irrigate plants that remove nitrogen before it filters into the Bay. This green infrastructure initiative provides conditions for native species to thrive, including the salt-marsh harvest mouse, while also serving as a flood break. With sea levels projected to rise significantly by 2100, the levee and similar projects are crucial for protecting Bay Area residents from future flooding events and restoring habitat for endangered wildlife.