California’s intricate system of dams and levees cut off once-mighty rivers from millions of acres of their floodplains, reducing the habitat and food California’s native saltwater fish, including the iconic Chinook salmon, need to thrive.
Now, farmers in the Sacramento Valley have partnered with biologists, water regulators, and conservation groups to restore wild fish runs.
According to Inside Climate News, they plan to create a “string of pearls” along the Sacramento River by connecting the highly-leveed waterways with its floodplains at places most likely to benefit the salmon.
These microorganisms support even greater biodiversity — water fleas, tiny crustaceans, and other invertebrates that are the perfect food for young salmon.
This way, rice fields can become a safe haven for growing salmon where their eggs and hatchlings can be safe from invasive species such as bluegill and largemouth bass.
Leave a Comment
Last Updated: February 5, 2021 by Nikola Gemeš
How Rice Fields Can Help Recover California’s Endangered Salmon
California’s intricate system of dams and levees cut off once-mighty rivers from millions of acres of their floodplains, reducing the habitat and food California’s native saltwater fish, including the iconic Chinook salmon, need to thrive.
Now, farmers in the Sacramento Valley have partnered with biologists, water regulators, and conservation groups to restore wild fish runs.
According to Inside Climate News, they plan to create a “string of pearls” along the Sacramento River by connecting the highly-leveed waterways with its floodplains at places most likely to benefit the salmon.
“That might involve adding gates to weirs that open so young salmon can move in and out of fields or pumping fish food into rivers. If the plan succeeds, it will turn the same fields that grow rice for people in the summer into rearing habitat and food factories for young salmon during the winter, increasing their odds of reaching the ocean and, ultimately, returning to spawn.“
Flooding rice fields during the off-season mimics the way rivers one cloud across the floodplains like a liquid solar panel, supporting the growth of algae and other phytoplankton that are essential for a healthy food web.
These microorganisms support even greater biodiversity — water fleas, tiny crustaceans, and other invertebrates that are the perfect food for young salmon.
This way, rice fields can become a safe haven for growing salmon where their eggs and hatchlings can be safe from invasive species such as bluegill and largemouth bass.
Nikola uses his background in electrical engineering to break down complex sustainability topics for GreenCitizen’s readers. He is a firm believer in environmental conservation, which he practices daily through recycling and home-grown food. He enjoys hiking, engaging in white-water sports, and collecting pocket knives.
Category: Conservation, Green News
Explore More From GreenCitizen
More Inspiring Green News
Read about the latest trends in sustainability to inspire you and help you lead a greener life.
With plastic pollution creating such a monumental problem, and recycling technology being too often inefficient, there seems to be a new biodegradable, bio-based, or more easily dismantled conventional plastic polymer, invented every month. In 2020, GNN reported on plastic item bags made from minerals that dissolve in boiling water, biodegradable flip-flops made from algae, additives The post New Plant-Based Plastics Can be Chemically Recycled With Near-Perfect Efficiency appeared first on Good News Network.
Seville: home to palaces, oranges, and now, a brilliant civic recycling innovative that will see millions of tons of fruit being turned into electricity. When the spring air lies thick with the smell of orange blossoms and the city is at its most beautiful, most non-residents will be unaware that many of the 5.7 million The post Spanish City is Squeezing Green Electricity From Leftover Oranges appeared first on Good News Network.
The world’s largest container shipment carrier has announced that in just two years’ time it will be putting a little more green into the deep blue sea. Maersk is deploying their first carbon-neutral shipping liner that incorporates e-methanol or bio-methanol as fuel in 2023. The green liner is to join the fleet a full seven The post 7 Years Ahead of Schedule, Maersk Will Deploy World’s First Carbon-Neutral Shipping Liner in 2023 appeared first on Good News Network.
Living sustainably has become increasingly important nowadays since the environment is slowly deteriorating. The constant use of single-use plastic and immeasurable amounts of waste thrown away is a threat to nature and people’s health. Of course, it can be difficult
Water scarcity is a common phenomenon since only 3% of water available on earth is fit for human consumption. That’s why it’s crucial to conserve the little water we have. Eco-friendly Water treatment entails removing contaminants from water to make it
We’re all increasingly aware of the dramatic consequences of climate change and how humanity’s actions are directly having a visible, tangible effect on the health of our world. Experts estimate that if mankind continues at its current rates of energy
Going green may boost your business’ bottom line. Have a glimpse at the business world in 2021, whether brick-and-mortar facilities or online organisations, and you’ll immediately notice a wide divergence in the amount of effort poured into eco-friendly initiatives. The
With the environment in a bit of a crisis right now, it’s essential that we all do our bit to try and help the planet. By living more sustainably, we can hopefully stop the situation from getting out of control
Modern enterprises increasingly focus on improving the sustainability of their operations for two key reasons. First and foremost, responsible industries consider how their business impacts the environment, society, and the world around them. However, sustainability is much more than an