By Jeff McCreary, Director of Operations, Western Region, Ducks Unlimited
Millions of ducks, geese, and other migratory birds travel the Pacific Flyway, one of North America’s most important migration routes, every winter. For eons, they used the Flyway’s wetlands, of which only vestiges remain. Today, they depend on a combination of California’s wetlands, wildlife refuges, rivers, and working agricultural lands for food, rest, and shelter. The Sacramento Valley plays an especially important role, providing critical wintering habitat for these birds.
The abundance of waterfowl we see in the Sacramento Valley today is no accident. It is, in large part, the result of thoughtful water management and a remarkable conservation success story.
A Conservation Success Story in the Sacramento Valley
Beginning in the early 1990s, rice growers increasingly turned to flooding their fields after harvest as an alternative to burning rice straw. What began as a change in agricultural practices also created expansive surrogate wetlands, providing nearly half of the food and habitat for migrating waterfowl. As winter flooding of rice expanded across the Sacramento Valley, the region experienced a dramatic shift in the distribution of wintering birds, with more ducks and geese concentrating in the valley.
This transformation demonstrated something important: how we manage water can be just as important as how much water we have. By putting water on the landscape at the right time and in the right places, California’s rice growers helped create one of the most important wintering habitats along the Pacific Flyway, while continuing to produce food and support local economies.
At Ducks Unlimited, we have spent decades working to conserve and restore the wetlands and landscapes that make these migrations possible. We’ve seen firsthand how water management, habitat restoration, and productive working lands can come together to benefit wildlife. That is why we support the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes (HRL) program as part of California’s Bay-Delta Plan update.
Applying These Lessons to California’s Water Future
Healthy Rivers and Landscapes builds on many of the same principles that have made conservation efforts in the Sacramento Valley successful. By combining strategically timed flows with habitat restoration and science-based adaptive management, the program seeks to improve conditions for fish and wildlife while supporting the communities and working lands that are part of these landscapes.
For waterfowl, the importance of this approach is easy to see. Water moving through a river is valuable, but so are the wetlands, floodplains, and winter-flooded agricultural fields that provide essential habitat for migrating birds. These landscapes need both reliable water supplies and active management to function as productive habitat.
The same principle applies to fish and other wildlife. Simply increasing river flows does not, by itself, restore wetlands, reconnect floodplains, or create the diverse habitats species need. We must consider how water interacts with the landscape and invest in improvements that produce measurable ecological benefits.
Healthy Rivers and Landscapes also recognizes the value of local knowledge. Water managers, conservation organizations, farmers, and other partners understand the unique conditions of their watersheds and have important roles to play in implementing solutions. When we combine this local expertise with scientific monitoring and adaptive management, we can help ensure that conservation investments deliver lasting results.
California has an opportunity to apply the lessons of successful waterfowl conservation to the broader challenge of managing water for the environment. The Sacramento Valley has already shown what is possible when we manage water with purpose, recognizing that healthy rivers, wetlands, and working landscapes are all part of the same system.
The millions of birds returning to the Sacramento Valley each winter are a powerful reminder of what thoughtful water management can accomplish. We should build on that success as we consider the future of California’s rivers and landscapes.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Maven’s Notebook.
More coverage of the Voluntary Agreements on Maven’s Notebook …
By Dan Walters, Cal Matters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Gray Davis became governor in 1999 and one of his first acts was to decree that there would be no major changes in water policy for eight years, which he assumed would be his two terms in office. Davis, a veteran politician who had climbed the political ladder one rung at a time, was well aware of the decades-long stalemate on the fundamental […]
Framework combines new flows, habitat restoration, science and enforceable rules to protect the Sacramento River and Delta From the State Water Board: In a landmark development driving large-scale ecosystem restoration and creating greater security for the heart of California’s water system, the State Water Resources Control Board today adopted modernized water quality protections for the Sacramento River and San Francisco Bay-Delta. The updated Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Watershed (Bay-Delta Plan) strengthens protections for […]
California approved Newsom’s Delta water rules, but Trump threatens to pull out and $740M with it. Water agencies that once backed the deal call it too strict; environmentalists say it’s too weak. By Rachel Becker, Cal Matters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California water regulators have approved a new plan overhauling how farms and cities take water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and rivers that feed it, setting up the next fight over Gov. […]
Under the changes, water agencies can commit to voluntary agreements governing water usage that some environmentalists and tribes argue undermine the health of the Bay-Delta system. By Alan Riquelmy, Courthouse News Service California’s water board late Thursday approved major changes to a massive water plan that drew strong emotions, and at times sharp rebukes, from hundreds of stakeholders including water agencies, conservationists and tribes. The plan sets water quality goals for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a massive watershed […]
Groups condemn the Newsom administration’s voluntary agreement framework, pledging to fight for water rights, environmental protections, and due process From Restore the Delta: In anticipation of the State Water Resources Control Board’s vote to adopt the updated Bay-Delta Plan, tribal leaders, environmental advocates, and Delta residents gathered at a press conference to condemn the decision and pledge further action to defend California’s water rights, protect critical ecosystems, and ensure meaningful public participation in decisions affecting the state’s water future. Representatives […]
The Bay-Delta is a watershed that provides drinking and municipal water to some 30 million people, along with irrigation water for 4 million acres. From the Courthouse News Service People and agencies facing the effects of proposed changes to a major California water plan spoke in waves Wednesday, making their cases to the state’s water board. The State Water Resources Control Board is proposing amendments to the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta water quality control plan. The plan sets water […]
By Alex Rabidoux, Assistant General Manager, Solano County Water Agency For decades, California has debated how much water should flow through its rivers to help recover struggling salmon populations. But an equally important question deserves attention: What happens to that water once it enters the river and how much ecological benefit does it actually provide? Salmon evolved in rivers connected to expansive floodplains, wetlands and side channels. Seasonal flows created shallow, food-rich habitats where juvenile fish could feed, grow and […]
By the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition, consisting of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Little Manila Rising, and Restore the Delta. California has formally apologized to tribes for state-sanctioned atrocities and committed to improving relationships between the state and tribal governments. Our elected leaders have also passed numerous laws intended to advance environmental justice outcomes. Yet, when it comes to decisions for the Sacramento-San Joaquin watershed, the Newsom administration has thrown tribes and environmental justice communities […]
From the Golden Gate Salmon Association Later this week, the State Water Resources Control Board is likely to adopt a final update to the Bay-Delta Plan. This plan is the state’s key document to protect the natural resources in the vast Bay-Delta estuary, as well as its Central Valley tributary rivers. This is the largest freshwater ecosystem in California and the largest estuary on the West Coast. Sacramento Valley salmon runs are the backbone of salmon fishing in California and […]
Healthy Rivers and Landscapes provides critical habitat for salmon while also ensuring our farms, cities and rural communities remain vibrant By Nicole Montna Van Vleck, President and CEO, Montna Farms Think about the last time you enjoyed a piece of sushi or took a bite of pizza. The rice wrapped around your favorite sushi roll, the tomato sauce, the cheese, perhaps a few peppers or olives sprinkled on top of that perfect slice. Chances are, you weren’t thinking about the […]
GUEST COMMENTARY: What the Pacific Flyway can teach us about water management
By Jeff McCreary, Director of Operations, Western Region, Ducks Unlimited
Millions of ducks, geese, and other migratory birds travel the Pacific Flyway, one of North America’s most important migration routes, every winter. For eons, they used the Flyway’s wetlands, of which only vestiges remain. Today, they depend on a combination of California’s wetlands, wildlife refuges, rivers, and working agricultural lands for food, rest, and shelter. The Sacramento Valley plays an especially important role, providing critical wintering habitat for these birds.
The abundance of waterfowl we see in the Sacramento Valley today is no accident. It is, in large part, the result of thoughtful water management and a remarkable conservation success story.
A Conservation Success Story in the Sacramento Valley
Beginning in the early 1990s, rice growers increasingly turned to flooding their fields after harvest as an alternative to burning rice straw. What began as a change in agricultural practices also created expansive surrogate wetlands, providing nearly half of the food and habitat for migrating waterfowl. As winter flooding of rice expanded across the Sacramento Valley, the region experienced a dramatic shift in the distribution of wintering birds, with more ducks and geese concentrating in the valley.
This transformation demonstrated something important: how we manage water can be just as important as how much water we have. By putting water on the landscape at the right time and in the right places, California’s rice growers helped create one of the most important wintering habitats along the Pacific Flyway, while continuing to produce food and support local economies.
At Ducks Unlimited, we have spent decades working to conserve and restore the wetlands and landscapes that make these migrations possible. We’ve seen firsthand how water management, habitat restoration, and productive working lands can come together to benefit wildlife. That is why we support the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes (HRL) program as part of California’s Bay-Delta Plan update.
Applying These Lessons to California’s Water Future
Healthy Rivers and Landscapes builds on many of the same principles that have made conservation efforts in the Sacramento Valley successful. By combining strategically timed flows with habitat restoration and science-based adaptive management, the program seeks to improve conditions for fish and wildlife while supporting the communities and working lands that are part of these landscapes.
For waterfowl, the importance of this approach is easy to see. Water moving through a river is valuable, but so are the wetlands, floodplains, and winter-flooded agricultural fields that provide essential habitat for migrating birds. These landscapes need both reliable water supplies and active management to function as productive habitat.
The same principle applies to fish and other wildlife. Simply increasing river flows does not, by itself, restore wetlands, reconnect floodplains, or create the diverse habitats species need. We must consider how water interacts with the landscape and invest in improvements that produce measurable ecological benefits.
Healthy Rivers and Landscapes also recognizes the value of local knowledge. Water managers, conservation organizations, farmers, and other partners understand the unique conditions of their watersheds and have important roles to play in implementing solutions. When we combine this local expertise with scientific monitoring and adaptive management, we can help ensure that conservation investments deliver lasting results.
California has an opportunity to apply the lessons of successful waterfowl conservation to the broader challenge of managing water for the environment. The Sacramento Valley has already shown what is possible when we manage water with purpose, recognizing that healthy rivers, wetlands, and working landscapes are all part of the same system.
The millions of birds returning to the Sacramento Valley each winter are a powerful reminder of what thoughtful water management can accomplish. We should build on that success as we consider the future of California’s rivers and landscapes.
More coverage of the Voluntary Agreements on Maven’s Notebook …
DAN WALTERS: California adopted a new water plan. It’s unlikely to end the state’s water wars
By Dan Walters, Cal Matters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Gray Davis became governor in 1999 and one of his first acts was to decree that there would be no major changes in water policy for eight years, which he assumed would be his two terms in office. Davis, a veteran politician who had climbed the political ladder one rung at a time, was well aware of the decades-long stalemate on the fundamental […]
PRESS RELEASE: State Water Board adopts innovative new model to protect California’s Bay-Delta, water and wildlife
Framework combines new flows, habitat restoration, science and enforceable rules to protect the Sacramento River and Delta From the State Water Board: In a landmark development driving large-scale ecosystem restoration and creating greater security for the heart of California’s water system, the State Water Resources Control Board today adopted modernized water quality protections for the Sacramento River and San Francisco Bay-Delta. The updated Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Watershed (Bay-Delta Plan) strengthens protections for […]
CAL MATTERS: Has the Trump administration doomed Newsom’s water plan?
California approved Newsom’s Delta water rules, but Trump threatens to pull out and $740M with it. Water agencies that once backed the deal call it too strict; environmentalists say it’s too weak. By Rachel Becker, Cal Matters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California water regulators have approved a new plan overhauling how farms and cities take water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and rivers that feed it, setting up the next fight over Gov. […]
COURTHOUSE NEWS: California water board passes major water plan after marathon session
Under the changes, water agencies can commit to voluntary agreements governing water usage that some environmentalists and tribes argue undermine the health of the Bay-Delta system. By Alan Riquelmy, Courthouse News Service California’s water board late Thursday approved major changes to a massive water plan that drew strong emotions, and at times sharp rebukes, from hundreds of stakeholders including water agencies, conservationists and tribes. The plan sets water quality goals for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a massive watershed […]
RESTORE THE DELTA: Tribes and environmental groups slam State Water Board’s anticipated adoption of updated Bay-Delta Plan, vow further action
Groups condemn the Newsom administration’s voluntary agreement framework, pledging to fight for water rights, environmental protections, and due process From Restore the Delta: In anticipation of the State Water Resources Control Board’s vote to adopt the updated Bay-Delta Plan, tribal leaders, environmental advocates, and Delta residents gathered at a press conference to condemn the decision and pledge further action to defend California’s water rights, protect critical ecosystems, and ensure meaningful public participation in decisions affecting the state’s water future. Representatives […]
COURTHOUSE NEWS: California water board hears competing views on major water plan update
The Bay-Delta is a watershed that provides drinking and municipal water to some 30 million people, along with irrigation water for 4 million acres. From the Courthouse News Service People and agencies facing the effects of proposed changes to a major California water plan spoke in waves Wednesday, making their cases to the state’s water board. The State Water Resources Control Board is proposing amendments to the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta water quality control plan. The plan sets water […]
COMMENTARY: The science is clear: Restoring California’s salmon populations requires more than just water
By Alex Rabidoux, Assistant General Manager, Solano County Water Agency For decades, California has debated how much water should flow through its rivers to help recover struggling salmon populations. But an equally important question deserves attention: What happens to that water once it enters the river and how much ecological benefit does it actually provide? Salmon evolved in rivers connected to expansive floodplains, wetlands and side channels. Seasonal flows created shallow, food-rich habitats where juvenile fish could feed, grow and […]
COMMENTARY: Reject the discriminatory, illegitimate, and harmful Voluntary Agreements
By the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition, consisting of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Little Manila Rising, and Restore the Delta. California has formally apologized to tribes for state-sanctioned atrocities and committed to improving relationships between the state and tribal governments. Our elected leaders have also passed numerous laws intended to advance environmental justice outcomes. Yet, when it comes to decisions for the Sacramento-San Joaquin watershed, the Newsom administration has thrown tribes and environmental justice communities […]
GUEST COMMENTARY: Fatal flaws in the State Water Board’s Draft Bay-Delta Plan Update
From the Golden Gate Salmon Association Later this week, the State Water Resources Control Board is likely to adopt a final update to the Bay-Delta Plan. This plan is the state’s key document to protect the natural resources in the vast Bay-Delta estuary, as well as its Central Valley tributary rivers. This is the largest freshwater ecosystem in California and the largest estuary on the West Coast. Sacramento Valley salmon runs are the backbone of salmon fishing in California and […]
GUEST COMMENTARY: Healthy Rivers and Landscapes: A healthier future for all of California
Healthy Rivers and Landscapes provides critical habitat for salmon while also ensuring our farms, cities and rural communities remain vibrant By Nicole Montna Van Vleck, President and CEO, Montna Farms Think about the last time you enjoyed a piece of sushi or took a bite of pizza. The rice wrapped around your favorite sushi roll, the tomato sauce, the cheese, perhaps a few peppers or olives sprinkled on top of that perfect slice. Chances are, you weren’t thinking about the […]
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