Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge: Tract 2 Restoration

This project is one of 10 individual project sites included in the Butte Basin and Colusa Trough Wetland Habitat Project. New work conducted by the overall project improved 2,573 acres of habitat in this region. The region is extremely important for migrating and wintering waterfowl, shorebirds, and other waterbirds. The Central Valley, which includes this region, winters up to 90% of the Pacific Flyway's population of northern pintails and about 60% of its overall population of waterfowl. At times, the Central Valley supports 20% of the continent's waterfowl population. In addition to providing critical habitat for waterfowl, the Butte Basin and Colusa Trough region is also of major importance to several special-status species including the giant garter snake, spring-run chinook salmon, winter-run chinook salmon, and Central Valley steelhead.

Water conveyance channel carries water from Cell 2 to Cell 4

The habitat improvement work accomplished by the overall project is extremely important. The project increased wetland acreage for migrating and wintering waterfowl and other waterbirds, increased riparian acrage for neotropical migrants, improved water quality, improved water conveyance and control capabilities to allow better habitat management and improve efficiency of water use, and provided fish-safe water to many acres of wetlands and wildlife-friendly agriculture (i.e., winter flooded rice).

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located in the Colusa Basin and is owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This project was located in Tract 2 (Cells 2, 4, and 10) at Sacramento NWR. Work at the site enhanced 59 acres of palustrine emergent wetlands and 16 acres of wetland-associated uplands. Project work consisted of excavating channels and potholes, reconstructing perimeter levees, constructing new levees, installing water control structures, and constructing loafing islands. This work improved water and vegetation management capabilities and boat access for disease monitoring.

Cell 4 main levee was reworked and loafing islands constructed

The wetlands on Sacramento NWR provide vitally important habitat for numerous waterfowl, shorebirds, and other waterbirds. The Sacramento Valley is the single most important wintering area for waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway. Approximately 44% of the Pacific Flyway's waterfowl population winters in the Sacramento Valley. The project work completed at Sacramento NWR improved habitat conditions for a variety of waterfowl and other wildlife, including several special-status species such as the giant garter snake.