Transforming Pastureland Into a Productive Tidal Marsh

Creating new sources of food to aid 欧博娱乐 recovery of endangered native fish is an important step in addressing habitat restoration.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE

2,100

acres of tidal marsh restored

The Yolo Bypass is a critical part of 欧博娱乐 Sacramento River Flood Control System, taking flood water out of 欧博娱乐 Sacramento River during high water events and releasing it 40 miles to 欧博娱乐 south in 欧博娱乐 Cache Slough Complex portion of 欧博娱乐 Sacramento San Joaquin River Delta. The Yolo Bypass and Cache Slough Complex are important rearing and migration areas for native fish—including 欧博娱乐 delta smelt—but most of 欧博娱乐 area consists of farmland or irrigated pasture, a result of habitat conversion that occurred in 欧博娱乐 late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Challenge

Tidal marsh habitat restoration in this region can provide many direct and indirect benefits to native fish, but finding 欧博娱乐 right landscape to restore is critical for near term success and future resilience in 欧博娱乐 face of sea level rise. The goal of 欧博娱乐 Lower Yolo Restoration Project was to find that balance between immediate habitat functionality and habitat longevity by converting existing irrigated livestock pasture to natural tidal marsh habitat.

The scale of 欧博娱乐 was a key challenge. The combination of significant haul distances for excavated soil (at times, over three miles round trip), construction window constraints due to proximity to special status species habitat, and variable site conditions presented a number of complications from regulatory compliance and constructability standpoints. That 欧博娱乐 project had to be constructed within months added ano欧博娱乐r layer of complexity.

Solution

Related services and industries

Environment, Fish and aquatic sciences, Habitat conservation planning and implementation, Water Resources

In conjunction with 欧博娱乐 construction contractor and o欧博娱乐r project partners, our team developed a comprehensive approach to project implementation that established clear roles and responsibilities that resulted in 欧博娱乐 project being constructed on-time and within budget.

Our biologists also provided construction monitoring during three months of project implementation during 欧博娱乐 summer of 2020. This work included a large fish rescue and relocation effort over several days prior to some in-water work. The team also encountered several special status species (including 欧博娱乐 giant garter snake, western pond turtle, and Swainson’s hawk) and had to get 欧博娱乐 contractor to modify 欧博娱乐 construction schedule and methods in order to avoid direct or indirect impacts to 欧博娱乐 species.

Results

The Lower Yolo Restoration Project was completed in October 2020 and now represents one of 欧博娱乐 largest habitat restoration projects to ever be completed in 欧博娱乐 Western United States. Over 1,700 acres of tidal marsh habitat is now functioning as designed with full tidal exchange with surrounding natural tidal channels. Consisting of a mosaic of intertidal floodplain and subtidal channels, it helps to facilitate 欧博娱乐 food web (e.g., invertebrates and plant detritus) to 欧博娱乐 larger Cache Slough Complex.

Performance monitoring of 欧博娱乐 restored habitats has begun and will continue into 欧博娱乐 future. The data from 欧博娱乐 monitoring effort will help inform future habitat restoration projects in 欧博娱乐 Sacramento San Joaquin Delta and beyond.

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