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In this episode of the Fish Water People Podcast, Michael Rogner, Associate Director of Restoration Science at River Partners, discusses large-scale riparian habitat restoration in California's Central Valley. Rogner explains how his organization transforms former agricultural lands into native habitats, focusing on restoring the Sacramento River's ecosystem. By converting fallow fields into native landscapes, River Partners has restored 20,000 acres, creating multiple benefits including flood control, groundwater recharge, wildlife habitat, and community access to green spaces.

The UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) was recently featured in a CBS News Bay Area segment about the research being conducted on salmon ear bones - known as otoliths - and about the restoration efforts that brought the salmon back to Putah Creek.

We’re excited to announce the appointment of Karrigan Börk as the Director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS). Börk is a Professor of Law and Co-Director of the California Environmental Law and Policy Center, who has served as interim Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences since 2024.

The Winnemem Wintu tribe’s connection to the winter-run chinook salmon (known as Nur by the tribe) runs deep. The Nur are a part of the creation stories told for generations.

“When we first bubbled out of our sacred spring on Mt. Shasta at the time of creation, we were helpless and unable to speak. It was salmon, the Nur, who took pity on us humans and gave us their voice. In return, we promised to always speak for them.” – Winnemem Wintu Spiritual and Cultural Belief.

Great news! The Center for Watershed Sciences has expanded its social media presence, giving you more ways to stay connected and engaged with California WaterBlogs and our other new content.

Take a look at all the places you can connect with us: https://linktr.ee/ucdaviswater

The Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS), with partner CalTrout, hosted an International Salmon Conservation Delegation on campus at CWS and at study sites across the Sacramento Valley floodplains and wetlands. The attendees included delegates from the British Columbia Provincial and Canadian Crown governments, representatives from the Okanagan, Seabird and Sumas First Nations (including Sumas Chief Dalton Silver), and representatives of the Pacific Salmon Foundation.

From ducks and cranes to giant garter snakes and salmon, flooded rice fields in California’s Central Valley offer important — often vital — habitat to many wildlife species. Yet uncertainties around crop markets, water and climate can prompt some growers to fallow rice fields or change their management practices.

Will today’s rice acreage under current practices be enough to meet key species’ needs? If not, how much rice is needed? Where should it be planted? And what management practices offer the greatest benefit for species of concern?