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CALIFORNIA WETLANDS
In 2015, Cullinan Ranch crews breached levees, bringing tidal flows back to 1,200 acres. 11 years later, migratory birds and fish now use the restored Napa River habitat in CaliforniaTidal marshes are valuable coastal wetlands that support wildlife, protect shorelines, filter polluted water and provide other ecosystem se...
In 2014, East Bay Regional Park District began restoring Dotson Family Marsh, creating channels that reconnected it to the San Francisco Bay. 6 years later, tidal wetlands had returnedHistory of Dotson Family Marsh helps explain why its recovery matters. The broader 150-acre property was acquired by the East Bay Regional ...
James Cagney and brother bought California grassland in the 1940s; after parts were sold, six decades later the remaining 417 acres became a wildlife havenHollywood actor James Cagney and his brother William once owned hundreds of acres near Ramona, California. Decades later, 417 acres of the ...
An engineering mistake in 1905 accidentally created California’s largest lake — and it changed the desert foreverIn 1905, an engineering blunder redirected the Colorado River into a desert basin, unintentionally giving rise to California's Salton Sea. ...
Washington state biologists reintroduced beavers on tributaries, and within years their dams slowed stream flow and rebuilt banks that resist erosionWildlife departments are making strides in reintroducing beavers to rejuvenate damaged stream ecosystems. These industrious creatures help ...
In 2000, UC Irvine led a 2-season study of rice paddies, finding crops emit ozone-depleting gases. Years later, the research still shows rice farming contributes 5% of atmospheric methyl iodide globally todayRice paddies are known for methane emissions. But UC Irvine researchers found another atmospheric connection worth watching. Flooded rice f...
SpaceX to build $100 billion Starship rocket complex in LouisianaThe company's second Starbase campus will eventually launch thousands of Starship flights a year, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said, re...
In 2010, researchers tested solar panels with white lines; the modified surfaces were up to 26 times less attractive to polarotactic insectsSolar panels, with their shiny surfaces, can inadvertently attract insects seeking water. This phenomenon leads to ecological harm, disrupt...
In 2014, California buried an abandoned airfield under 5.8 million cubic yards of harbor mud, then opened 998 acres to the tidesOnce serving as a military airfield, a site in Marin County, California, has evolved into a vibrant wetland. Engineers meticulously utilize...
Five major floods followed Pajaro's 1949 levee construction; a 2023 breach sent water through homes within 3 hours and costing $300 million; UC Berkeley researchers are now recreating the watershed digitally to show how new barriers could change the next floodFlood risk is hard to picture until water is inside your home. UC Berkeley researchers are building a digital twin of California’s Lower Pa...
In 2011, California turned dormant rice fields into winter salmon nurseries; the young fish grew up to eight times faster than in riversFlooded rice fields in California's Yolo Bypass are helping young salmon grow significantly faster. These fields provide a rich food source...
In 2000, the American West entered a megadrought that became its driest stretch in roughly 1,200 years. Years later, it left major lakes and reservoirs majorly depleted, with some losing enough water to expose miles of lakebedSeveral major North American lakes are experiencing significant water level declines. Drought, warming temperatures, and increased water de...
Meet the King Snake: A non-venomous reptile that hunts and eats venomous snakes; here's how it kills its preyMeet the king snake, a non-venomous North American reptile that hunts, kills and eats venomous snakes including rattlesnakes, cottonmouths ...
Brought in 1900s to save California's soil, this invasive iceplant is now suffocating native ecosystemsOriginally introduced from South Africa, highway iceplant has spread across large areas of California. The succulent groundcover expands ra...
In 1922, California introduced mosquitofish to eat mosquito larvae; within four years, they were in 30 counties and were later linked to native-species declinesIn 1922, California introduced mosquitofish in hopes of controlling mosquito populations. Although they were initially viewed as a solution...
110-quadrillion-kilometer fungal network moves CO₂ equal to about 11% of annual human emissions into soil each yearAn intricate web of tiny fungal threads stretches underground, connecting plants around the world. These microorganisms are essential, shar...
US coastal cities at risk? What a new study warns about sea levels surging by 2100Coastal cities face greater flooding and property damage from potential sea level rise. New research indicates oceans could rise significan...
In 2003, an Iraqi engineer left California to re-flood wetlands Saddam had turned into desert; up to 60% of the ancient marshes later returnedAzzam Alwash embarked on a mission to restore the ravaged Mesopotamian Marshes upon his return to Iraq. By implementing a straightforward p...
In 1863, a deadly US massacre killed hundreds of Native Americans. 160 years later, the Shoshone are restoring the site of the attackIn 1863, the Bear River Massacre became the deadliest slaughter of Native Americans in US history, leaving hundreds of Shoshone men, women ...
In 1964, American engineers drew up NAWAPA, a plan to redirect the rivers of Alaska and Canada through the Rockies to water the US desert, re-plumbing an entire continentA 1964 plan proposed moving water from Alaska to the arid American West. This ambitious engineering project aimed for continental water red...