Back in the Flow: Ducks Unlimited Enhances Wetlands and Boosts Recreation in California’s San Joaquin Valley

In California’s San Joaquin Valley, a critical rest stop for millions of migrating birds, Ducks Unlimited wrapped up a major upgrade at the Blue Goose Unit, part of the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge. 

In this project, over 500 acres of wetlands and surrounding uplands have been enhanced by improving water and habitat management capabilities. ,To do this, crews replaced old water-control structures, removed outdated levees and constructed swales and reshaped the land to convey and distribute water efficiently. Excess dirt was used to build small islands and raise levee banks, which gives birds more places to rest and nest. 

As a result of project work, the acreage of summer wetland habitat in the project area is expected to more than double, giving nesting birds additional areas to raise their young. 

This project greatly benefits ducks, geese and shorebirds that rely on San Joaquin wetlands during their long journeys along the Pacific Flyway.  

But it’s not just about birds. The project also helps manage flood water, filter nutrients, store carbon and recharges groundwater, making the land more resilient for people, too. Plus, it restored connections to adjacent public and private wetlands and expanded public hunting opportunities by increasing the number of hunting blinds from six to nine. 

As an added benefit the work was completed by local contractors, keeping dollars and jobs in the community. The project was funded by the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, which supports projects that deliver measurable benefits to water resources and biodiversity and the California Duck Stamp Program, which reinvests revenue from duck stamp sales into wetland habitat conservation across the state. 

With these upgrades, the Blue Goose Unit is now better prepared to support waterfowl and other wildlife and provide a diversity of other environmental benefits for many years. 

Please visit the new DU Media Toolkit page for essential resources about Ducks Unlimited’s conservation mission. 

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing wetlands, grasslands and other waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has restored or protected more than 19 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science, DU’s projects benefit waterfowl, wildlife and people in all 50 states. DU is growing its mission through a historic $3 billion Conservation For A Continent capital campaign. Learn more at www.ducks.org. 

Media Contact: 
 Molly Jarone 
 (916) 903-9199 
 mjarone@ducks.org