The next Delta Waterway Cleanup event is scheduled to take place from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on April 27, 2024 at Sherman Island. We will be teaming up with the Rio Vista Windsurfing Association and Sherman Island Kiteboarding Organization (RVWA-SIKO) for this cleanup.
January 24, 2024
WEST SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Board on Wednesday convened for its first meeting of 2024, approving a new project as well as the Conservancy’s Implementation Plan for 2024.
The Board voted unanimously to approve up to $715,180 in grant funding to Suisun City for the Suisun City Fishing Dock Planning Project.
The funding will help plan the construction of a public fishing dock in the Suisun Slough, located within Suisun City. The dock will be Americans with Disabilities Act accessible and feature benches, shade, fishing pole holders, and an educational kiosk.
January 24, 2024
WEST SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Board on Wednesday convened for its first meeting of 2024, approving a new project as well as the Conservancy’s Implementation Plan for 2024.
The Board voted unanimously to approve up to $715,180 in grant funding to Suisun City for the Suisun City Fishing Dock Planning Project.
The funding will help plan the construction of a public fishing dock in the Suisun Slough, located within Suisun City. The dock will be Americans with Disabilities Act accessible and feature benches, shade, fishing pole holders, and an educational kiosk.
“This is a huge first step in giving Suisun City residents a much-needed amenity downtown. The fishing dock project will provide an updated, inclusive recreation space that will be a tourist attraction regionally and will highlight the Delta’s beautiful and unique ecosystem,” said Suisun City Mayor Alma Hernandez. “Thank you to the State of California and the Delta Conservancy for turning this need into a reality.”
The Board also approved the Conservancy’s 2024 Implementation Plan, which is a companion document to the Conservancy’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan provides a high-level road map and sets objectives and performance measures to achieve them. The annual Implementation Plan provides the more detailed tasks the Conservancy will undertake in the coming year.
Lastly, the Board received an overview of the Conservancy’s 2023 Annual Report highlighting the achievements and milestones from the past year. View the 2023 Annual Report here: https://bit.ly/3HlieY1
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Here are highlights from the Delta Conservancy’s work in 2023, grouped by goals set in the Conservancy’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan:
A recording of the the 2023 Delta Invasive Species Symposium is now available on our YouTube channel. Presentations explored how connections within and among estuaries impact invasive species movement, how connectivity of different types can both help and hinder invasive species control, and how making connections among disciplines, policies, and actors is critical to effective invasive species management.
Since 2015, the Delta Interagency Invasive Species Coordination (DIISC) Team has organized a biennial Delta Invasive Species Symposium. The symposium is a forum for Delta managers, researchers, and decision-makers to meet, share and synthesize information, and communicate best practices and lessons learned. Click here to learn more about the DIISC Team.
October 25, 2023
OAKLEY – The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Board on Wednesday approved awarding up to $13.3 million for three climate-benefit projects that will provide fish and wildlife habitat, halt or reverse subsidence, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support the Delta economy, and more.
The grant funding for these projects was made possible by the Amended Budget Act of 2022, which provided the Delta Conservancy with a general fund allocation of $36 million for projects that support Nature Based Solutions: Wetland Restoration.
“This funding offers a great opportunity to implement projects that offer nature-based solutions to habitat loss, subsidence, and carbon emissions on Delta islands. We have the science that tells us rewetting the landscape will be beneficial; now we can start putting this knowledge into practice,” said Karen Buhr, Delta Conservancy Deputy Executive Officer.
The projects approved Wednesday will contribute to California’s 30×30 goal of conserving 30% of our lands and coastal waters by 2030.
The Board approved an award of up to $4.3 million to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to support conversion of at least 3,000 and up to 7,500 acres of current agriculture in San Joaquin and Contra Costa counties to wildlife-friendly rice for the purpose of stopping subsidence (reduction in land elevation); reducing greenhouse gas emissions; providing ecosystem benefits, particularly for migratory birds; and supporting the local Delta economy.
The money TNC receives will support lands where farming has been hindered by subsidence, which is caused by the drainage of wetlands and the oxidation of peat soil, resulting in the release of carbon. In addition to climate benefits, rice cultivation has community benefits, including decreased flooding risk and increased economic viability since rice can be a higher priced commodity than other crops.
“Rice farming is an important part of a resilient future for the Delta. This incentive program for interested landowners will lead to economically viable agricultural operations that also reduce land subsidence, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and improve habitat for wildlife. The Delta Rice Conversion Program is a win-win opportunity; we appreciate the State of California and Delta Conservancy’s leadership in making it possible,” said Rodd Kelsey, TNC Land Program Director.
The Board also approved an award of up to $6.7 million to TNC to restore 426 acres of wetland on Staten Island in San Joaquin County. The wetland restoration effort will be part of a broader carbon farming project on the island to create and support vital habitat for birds and other species, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and restore carbon stocks, halt and reverse subsidence, provide other co-benefits like improved water quality, and serve as a demonstration project to help scale similar wetland and carbon farming projects across the Delta.
“The Nature Conservancy’s vision for its Staten Island farm is to maintain and expand its role as a learning laboratory advancing wildlife-friendly farming, wetland restoration, and climate-responsive agricultural practices in the Delta. The Wetland Restoration Project on Staten Island will demonstrate how wetland restoration in some of the more subsided portions of the Delta can support higher-quality wildlife habitat, reduce greenhouse gases and stop land subsidence, and maintain economic returns for landowners,” said Sydney Chamberlin, TNC Project Manager. “The Nature Conservancy will be pursuing private funding to complement this public investment.”
Lastly, the Board approved an award of up to $2.2 million to John Muir Land Trust (JMLT) to acquire a 600-acre property on Bethel Island in Contra Costa County for permanent environmental protection and stewardship.
Acquisition is the first phase of an anticipated multi-phase project to restore wetlands, riparian forest, and sand dunes on the property. Once constructed, the managed wetlands will reverse subsidence and reduce carbon emissions; protect native and special status species; and enhance quality of life for Bethel Island residents, including severely disadvantaged communities on and near the island, by providing public access to open space.
“Few conservation priorities are as important to Californians as protecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay, a region essential to the health of freshwater and marine habitats and to the well-being of many cities and towns,” said Linus Eukel, John Muir Land Trust Executive Director. “On Bethel Island, nature-based solutions will address the multiple threats posed by climate change and encroaching development. This project will improve vital habitat for native wildlife and preserve the rural character of a place cherished by residents and visitors for generations to come.”
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September 14, 2023
WEST SACRAMENTO – Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Week, taking place this year from September 24 through 30, is a celebration of the lifeblood of California’s water system and the people who call the region home.
Delta Week was made an official event in recent years, but those who work and live in the Delta have long known that it’s a special and vital place.
“Delta Week is when we highlight the magic of the Delta and help others to appreciate and care about this great region,” says Delta Conservancy Executive Officer Campbell Ingram.
The Delta is formed by the union of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Those rivers mingle with smaller tributaries and tidal flows to form the highly biodiverse and productive San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary.
The Delta is important for many reasons. Some include:
At the Conservancy, we are committed to improving the Delta in the near and long term. Through both internal programs and grant-funded projects, our goal is to bring integrated environmental, economic, and social benefits to the Delta. Some examples of ongoing projects the Conservancy is helping fund include:
August 31, 2023
WEST SACRAMENTO – The Delta Conservancy is seeking volunteers to participate in two cleanups happening in the Delta on September 23 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Conservancy is co-hosting cleanup sites this year at Brannan Island State Recreation Area and Sherman Island in coordination with Park Delta Bay, LLC and Rio Vista Windsurfing Association and Sherman Island Kiteboarding Organization (RVWA-SIKO).
Trash flowing into the Delta is a serious water pollution problem for both humans and wildlife. Participating in cleanups not only protects the Delta but also our oceans, as trash travels through storm drains, creeks, and rivers both locally and out to the coast.
These cleanups are taking place as part of Coastal Cleanup Day. Click here for information on more cleanups happening across the state.
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July 26, 2023
WEST SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Board on Wednesday re-elected its chair and elected a new vice chair.
Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn will serve as the Conservancy Board’s chair for 2023-2024. He was first elected as chair in 2022 and represents the 5th District of Solano County, which includes the city of Rio Vista, Elmira, portions of Fairfield, Suisun City, and Vacaville, as well as the rolling hills of eastern Solano County.
Additionally, Leo Winternitz — an appointed public member of the Board with experience in environmental management and water resources — was elected as vice chair.
“We greatly appreciate the support and oversight of our governing Board made up of appointed public members, county supervisors from the five Delta counties, representatives from local nonprofits, special districts, and state and federal agencies,” said Delta Conservancy Executive Officer Campbell Ingram.
The Delta Conservancy’s next Board meeting is scheduled for October 25 at 9 a.m. Meeting location information will be posted to the Conservancy website by early October.
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May 24, 2023
WEST SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Board on Wednesday approved $24 million for two projects that will restore wetlands, improve community access, and support climate resiliency in Contra Costa County.
Under the larger of the two projects, the Board unanimously approved up to $20.9 million in grant funding for the Wetland Mosaic Landscape on Webb Tract Project proposed by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. During the two-phase project, Metropolitan will design and construct up to 3,500 acres of managed, flooded wetlands and up to 1,500 acres of rice fields on Webb Tract, located in the northeastern portion of Contra Costa County and owned by Metropolitan.
The grant funding for this project was made possible by the Amended Budget Act of 2022, which provided the Delta Conservancy with a general fund allocation of $36 million for projects that support Nature Based Solutions: Wetland Restoration.
“This is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how we can manage the deeply subsided islands of the Delta in a way that stops subsidence and related carbon emissions, maintains agriculture, provides habitat benefits, and – most importantly – improves the long-term economic viability and resilience of the islands,” said Delta Conservancy Executive Officer Campbell Ingram.
“This project will significantly improve the sustainability of Webb Tract in multiple ways and help develop methods and strategies that can potentially be applied throughout the Delta,” said Metropolitan General Manager Adel Hagekhalil. “We anticipate it will help reverse ongoing subsidence, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create new critical habitat, while also supporting the studies that can lead to carbon sequestration opportunities and the development of sustainable agriculture.”
Metropolitan will work with local interested parties, farmers, and a design firm to develop the mosaic of expected land uses that are consistent with the existing topography.
Under the second project approved by the Board, the City of Pittsburg will receive up to $3.5 million in grant funding for the Central Harbor Park and Boat Launch Facility Upgrade Implementation Project, which will revitalize Pittsburg’s downtown waterfront park, adjacent parking lot and boat launch facilities.
With the funding, the city will be able to improve parking lots, paths of travel, shade structures, facility lighting and a boat launch ramp approach. Additionally, the city will install break-in-proof restrooms, educational signage, a public safety substation, landscaping to prevent erosion, shade trees, public fire pits, leasable event space and a fish-cleaning station.
The grant funding for this project was made possible by the Budget Act of 2022, which provided the Delta Conservancy with $6.1 million for projects that support climate resilience, community access and natural resource protection activities that benefit the Delta (collectively known as Climate, Access and Resource funding). The project was spurred by community input and concerns about climate resiliency, degradation of the park, and aging infrastructure.
“The project area is foundational to an exciting reimagining of the waterfront that aims to attract continued development,” said City of Pittsburg Assistant to the City Manager Sara Bellafronte. “The funding will build upon the existing infrastructure and elevate the area to a family- and event-friendly space that will motivate even more people to spend time and money at the waterfront and care for the Delta, which is such an incredible landscape and resource.”
Improvements to the Central Harbor Park and Boat Launch Facility are expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The Wetland Mosaic Landscape on Webb Tract Project is expected to be a three- to four-year project.
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