Land subsidence in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a serious problem, causing loss of arable land and wildlife habitat, emitting greenhouse gases, and posing the threat of levee failure and flooding. But, as described in a recent post from the California Delta Protection Commission, supporting farmers in switching from dry-field farming to growing rice can reap multiple benefits, for farmers, local communities, birds and other wildlife, and the climate.
Much of the Delta used to be covered in water but was drained to grow corn and other dry-soil crops. When the peat soils of the Delta are exposed to air, the organic materials in the soils oxidize and turn into carbon dioxide gas. Over the last hundred years of farming, those soils have slowly been evaporating into thin air. Some areas of the Delta are as low as 24 feet below sea level, forming a big bathtub surrounded by levees. This situation is structurally unsustainable, and the carbon emissions create an outsized climate change impact.
The solution to subsidence is to re-wet the soil. Recreating natural wetlands would be the most efficient way to do this, but rice farming is a good second choice in an area where most lands are privately held, one that sustains farmers and the local economy. Ricelands keep soils wet during a substantial portion of the year, halting and slowly reversing subsidence and reducing carbon emissions. Ricelands also provide great habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds and other waterbirds, as well as other wildlife such as threatened giant garter snakes and endangered winter run Chinook salmon.
Rice acreage is expanding in the Delta while corn acreage is falling. Many farmers have read the writing on the wall and are making the switch to rice. As Staten Island manager Jerred Dixon notes in the article, “I make really good money growing rice. You plant it, you watch it, then you harvest it. It’s not a very labor-intensive crop.”
However, converting to rice requires significant upfront investment. Farmers need specialized water infrastructure and leveled fields for optimal rice production. The Delta Protection Commission has identified several key supports needed to help farmers make this transition, including grant funding for conversion costs, support for wildlife-friendly practices, and assistance with marketing Delta rice as a premium product.
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy, a CVJV partner, is contributing this effort, awarding more than $34 million to date in Nature Based Solution grants to restore wetlands and help Delta farmers convert to rice.
This approach aligns with CVJV’s mission of partnering with landowners to benefit both agriculture and wildlife. By providing farmers with the technical and financial support they need to convert to rice, in the Delta and elsewhere in the Central Valley, CVJV is helping create habitat for birds and other wildlife while helping farming communities adapt to environmental challenges and maintain their livelihoods.For more information about ecosystem restoration in the Delta, visit the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy at https://deltaconservancy.ca.gov/
Photo: Rice straw being managed by rolling to mix with water and soil – California Waterfowl Association
