Management of Rice Fields for Wetlands, Water, and Rice Production

by Elizabeth S. Andrews, Philip Williams & Associates, Ltd, San Francisco, United States,
Philip B. Williams, Philip Williams & Associates, Ltd, San Francisco, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Hydraulic Engineering

Abstract:

The feasibility of managing a portion of the Sacramento Valley's rice fields as wetlands for waterfowl use, storage, and aid in rice straw decomposition was evaluated. Approximately 95% of the area's original wetlands have been lost, and populations of resident and migratory waterfowl have declined as a result of this and other pressures on the ecosystem. The analysis showed that there was significant potential to manage rice acreages in the Sacramento Valley for winter wetlands for the benefit of farmers, waterfowl, and downstream water uses, though constraints to such operation are numerous.

Subject Headings: Crops | Wetlands (fresh water) | Water management | Water conservation | Water supply | Irrigation water | Aquatic habitats | California | United States

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