In recent years, we’ve shared extensively about WHY reactivating floodplains is vital in the Sacramento River Basin. From reducing flood risk to creating habitat for fish and birds, floodplain reactivation delivers multiple benefits for people and the environment.
Now, we’re focusing on the next step: HOW to make this vision a reality.
We are excited to share three new resources that bring this story to life:
- A multi-page document that outlines the infrastructure and management practices needed to reconnect floodplains.
- A short video that showcases projects already underway and demonstrates the feasibility of scaling up this work.
- A new webpage dedicated to the HOW, offering a clear hub of information and visuals that explain this effort in depth.
While we cannot return the Sacramento Valley to its historical floodplain landscape, we can mimic key natural functions in targeted ways. Our new materials highlight four key actions that make this possible:
- Increasing the frequency of bypass activation
- Supporting winter flooding on ricelands
- Delivering water to wildlife refuges
- Reactivating oxbows along rivers
MOVING FORWARD
By connecting working lands, bypasses, wildlife refuges, and rivers, we can improve our flood protection system and create a more sustainable future for fish, birds, wildlife, and people. But this work cannot be done alone. It will take the entire Sacramento Valley working together — local, regional, and national partners — to uncover innovative solutions, identify funding sources, and streamline permitting processes.
Through collaboration, we can scale up this work and achieve our shared goal: a resilient Sacramento Valley that sustains both people and the ecosystems that depend on this land and water.
