The Yolo Basin Foundation initiated the Yolo Bypass Working Group in 1998 under a CALFED Ecosystem Restoration Grant. This ad hoc stakeholder group is very successful and continues to meet as needed. Over 40 people representing a wide range of stakeholders with an interest in the Yolo Bypass regularly attend these meetings.
Participants include landowners (farmers, ranchers, duck hunters), Department of Water Resources, Central Valley Flood Protection Board, CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Dixon and Yolo Resource Conservation Districts, Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, Yolo County, City of West Sacramento, City of Davis, California Waterfowl Association, Ducks Unlimited, Sacramento Yolo Mosquito Vector Control District, American Rivers and others.
Every working group agenda contains Yolo Bypass specific issues we are tracking as well as new issues as they develop. Current topics for the Working Group include development of the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan that could include significant changes to the Yolo Bypass. Improvement of salmon passage and rearing habitat as proposed by the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is an important topic.
Other topics include vector control, water quality, especially methymercury production, changes in land ownership and land use and habitat restoration and maintenance. Preservation of agricultural productivity is another important topic.
Yolo Basin Foundation strives to make a pro-active contribution to issues facing the Delta as they specifically relate to the Yolo Bypass. We have over twenty years of experience working with Yolo Bypass stakeholders and understand the many issues involved in improving fish habitat to meet the goals of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan and the Salmon Biological Opinion.
For an archive of meeting summaries go to: Archives
Waterfowl Impacts of the Yolo Bypass Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Fish Passage Project, An effects analysis tool
October 20, 2017
Prepared for California Department of Water Resources
By Ducks Unlimited
The Yolo Bypass Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Fish Passage Project (Project) proposes to increase Yolo Bypass floodplain habitat for young winter and spring-run salmon by increasing the frequency and duration of flooding over the Fremont Weir between November and March. Ducks Unlimited developed an analysis tool to evaluate six management alternatives under which the Project might operate and understand how the effects of those alternatives on waterfowl food demand and supply. More frequent flooding of managed wetlands and rice fields at depths of over 18 inches could limit waterfowl access to important food supplies during a time that they are building reserves to migrate back to nesting habitat.
