Our Conservation Effort: Aiding Fish, Birds, and Wildlife
Reclamation District 1500 and its landowners work with conservation organizations and state and federal agencies on enhancing habitat for wildlife. RD1500 works with landowners to drain water off their fields in the winter and early spring that was placed on the landscape to create waterfowl and shorebird habitat. RD1500 also takes part in efforts to drain the fields during specific times to provide much-needed fish food into the Sacramento River.
Fish Food on Flooded Farm Fields
RD1500 members work with scientists and conservationists to prove how rice fields can play a critical role in boosting salmon populations. With so much valuable food on the floodplain available, we believe we can help reconnect the fish with the food.
When rice fields are flooded post-harvest, the remaining rice straw decomposes, that then generates the production of billions of bugs which are the perfect food for fish to bulk up on as they head to the Pacific Ocean. California Trout and UC Davis studies reveal bigger fish have a better chance of surviving in the river and ultimately are more likely to return and spawn as adults.
“Located in the heart of the Sacramento Valley, we play a vital role in the management of water resources to support native fish and wildlife.”
