By David Guy
It may seem counterintuitive in this very dry year to be thinking and talking about floodplains; yet, these years highlight the importance of the floodplain in the Sacramento Valley and the opportunities we have in all years–including critically dry years–to reactivate our floodplains as part of ridgetop to river mouth water management.
To learn more about these opportunities, we encourage you to grab some popcorn and watch several award-winning films that explore how reconnecting our landscape with our vital rivers can have a profound impact on recovery of endangered fish and wildlife populations in harmony with our cities, rural communities and farms. Reconnecting our floodplains also helps recharge groundwater, which will be essential in the Sacramento Valley this fall and winter for groundwater sustainability. To see a more detailed description and to watch these films, please click Floodplains Reconnected.
The Sacramento Valley is fertile ground for developing a new path forward for holistic water management that incorporates best available science and practical know-how of farm and refuge managers to reactivate our historical floodplain. You will see that a collaborative approach can provide flood protection and create habitat for fish and wildlife, while recharging our groundwater and keeping lands productive for farming and our rural communities. These esteemed filmmakers detail the story of how reactivating our floodplains will positively alter our future in the Sacramento Valley.
For more detailed information on floodplain reactivation in the Sacramento Valley, see A Portfolio for Fish and Wildlife, check out our floodplain landing page here and to watch the films, click below.
