SMWC: Feeding Fish through Floodplain Farm Fields

Sutter Mutual Water Company has been awarded funding to cover 3,000 acres for the Fish Food on Floodplain Farm Fields program. Working with Cal Trout, we have notified the growers about the fields that met this year’s criteria. We are in the process of preparing for the first flush of these fields and looking forward to the next cycle of fish food.

The program is designed to take advantage of post-harvest flooded rice fields, as when the remaining rice straw decomposes, it leads to the production of billions of bugs. This food source is perfect to help fish bulk up as they head to the Pacific Ocean. California Trout and UC Davis studies reveal bigger fish have a better chance of surviving in the river and ultimately are more likely to return and spawn as adults.