Here, we share a brief update on the winter-flooding programs being implemented this winter. We are happy to report that an additional $1 million has been added to the State’s California Winter Rice Habitat Incentive Program, which provides payment for winter flooding for next winter (2025-26).
NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
Over $1.4 million was allocated this past summer for growers who applied to waterbird conservation practices (many of them winter-flooding) through our Rice RCPP. We have now spent down our original $4.7 million in funding. CRC applied for a renewal of this RCPP in September.
California Trout’s Fish Food program is going strong this winter with another $2.1 million in grower payments. CalTrout again opened applications to growers throughout the Sac Valley that were able to drain to fish-bearing streams.
The Sandhill Crane program, administered by The Nature Conservancy’s BirdReturns Program and funded by the California Dept of Fish & Wildlife, allocated $750,000 this winter for habitat to support Sandhill Cranes, much of it implemented on flooded ricelands.
California Winter Rice Habitat Incentive Program
We came into this fall with no remaining funding in CWRHIP. Our partners at BirdReturns and CDFW agreed to contribute $250,000 to CWRHIP for this winter, the acres of which are already going into contract. For the second year in a row, this program was overprescribed, which demonstrates strong grower interest in this program, which pays growers for winter flooding. We can look forward to a robust program next year when we have $1 million allocated to the program.
For more information, contact the CRC’s Wildlife Programs Manager, Kristin Sesser, at ksesser@calrice.org or (916) 607-8988.
