Waterbird habitat in California's Central Valley basins under climate, urbanization, and water management scenarios
February 24, 2018
California's Central Valley provides critical, but threatened habitat and food resources for migrating and wintering waterfowl, shorebirds, and other waterbirds. The Central Valley is comprised of nine basins that were defined by the Central Valley Joint Venture (CVJV) to assist in conservation planning. Basins vary in composition and extent of habitats, which primarily include croplands and wetlands that rely on water supplies shared with other competing human and environmental uses. Changes in climate, urban development, and water supply management are uncertain and could reduce future availability of water supplies supporting waterbird habitats and limit effectiveness of wetland restoration planned by the CVJV to support wintering waterbirds. We modeled 17 plausible scenarios including combinations of three climate projections, three urbanization rates, and five water supply management options to promote agricultural and urban water uses, with and without wetland restoration. Our research examines the reduction in quantity and quality of habitats during the fall migration-wintering period by basin under each scenario, and the efficacy of planned wetland restoration to compensate reductions in flooded areas of wetland habitats. Scenario combinations of projected climate, urbanization, and water supply management options reduced availability of flooded cropland and wetland habitats during fall-winter and degraded the quality of seasonal wetlands (i.e., summer-irrigation for improved forage production), though the extent and frequency of impacts varied by basin. Planned wetland restoration may substantially compensate for scenario-related effects on wetland habitats in each basin. However, results indicate that Colusa, Butte, Sutter, San Joaquin, and Tulare Basins may require additional conservation to support summer-irrigation of seasonal wetlands and winter-flooding of cropland habitats. Still further conservation may be required to provide sufficient areas of flooded seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands in San Joaquin and Tulare Basins during fall-winter. The main objective of this research is to provide decision-support for achieving waterbird conservation goals in the valley and to inform CVJV's regional conservation planning.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2018 |
---|---|
Title | Waterbird habitat in California's Central Valley basins under climate, urbanization, and water management scenarios |
DOI | 10.3996/122016-JFWM-095 |
Authors | Elliott Matchett, Joseph P. Fleskes |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management |
Index ID | 70195632 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Western Ecological Research Center |
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Recent historical and projected (years 2006-99) areas (km2) of managed, flooded habitats used by waterbirds overwintering in Central Valley, California basins for 17 climate, urbanization, and water management scenarios
Matchett and Fleskes (2018) evaluated availability of wetland and agricultural habitats used by waterbirds overwintering in the Central Valley of California under 17 scenarios of projected climate, urbanization, and water supply management (for more information about scenarios see scenario description and Table 1 in Matchett and Fleskes [2018]). Central Valley waterbird habitats...
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Recent historical and projected (years 2006-99) areas (km2) of managed, flooded habitats used by waterbirds overwintering in Central Valley, California basins for 17 climate, urbanization, and water management scenarios
Matchett and Fleskes (2018) evaluated availability of wetland and agricultural habitats used by waterbirds overwintering in the Central Valley of California under 17 scenarios of projected climate, urbanization, and water supply management (for more information about scenarios see scenario description and Table 1 in Matchett and Fleskes [2018]). Central Valley waterbird habitats...