What Drought....

[Ralph]

This flooding is done in an attempt replicate, on a micro micro scale, how the Valley ecosystem is supposed to work. It is as much for fish as it is for birds. The shallow water is rich in nutrients that grow insects and zooplankton that allow salmon and steelhead smolts to fatten up before heading to sea.

https://watershed.ucdavis.edu/news/2...ation=node/283

You can link out from the Waterblog to a larger article on the practice.

[Jake O]

This flooding is done in an attempt replicate, on a micro micro scale, how the Valley ecosystem is supposed to work. It is as much for fish as it is for birds. The shallow water is rich in nutrients that grow insects and zooplankton that allow salmon and steelhead smolts to fatten up before heading to sea.

https://watershed.ucdavis.edu/news/2...ation=node/283

You can link out from the Waterblog to a larger article on the practice.

I don't know if that is the "farm" they speak of using for test purposes, may or may not be. But, most state and fed refuges hold water until some time in early march, late february. Those rice fields are a part of the yolo wildlife refuge, so they would be flooded this time of year regardless of studies. Here is a map of the refuge.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/lands/wa/regio...lMapOpener.jpg

[Rich Morrison]

I'm sure many of you remember that for years and years the rice stubble was burned. Winter in the north valley was characterized by the smell and sight of smoke hanging in the air as all the farmers burned the stubble. Folks realized it was a serious air quality issue and so the flooding for decomposition was mandated by the state.