APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN! Apply through January 22nd

BirdReturns- Spring Wetlands 2025

The objective of the BirdReturns Spring Wetland Program is to incentivize private wetland managers to provide spring flooded habitat for migrating shorebirds and waterfowl. By maintaining seasonal wetlands through early spring, followed by a gradual drawdown, wetland managers can create this much needed habitat for migratory birds.

Applicants may apply for both the Spring and Summer Wetland Programs as long as each application is for a separate wetland unit that can be independently managed to meet program requirements.

Practice Specifications

FLOODING PRACTICE:

• Soils must remain flooded or fully saturated from the end of the waterfowl season until the end of the drawdown period.
• Conduct a gradual drawdown to reach 50% mudflats on enrolled units within the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd week of April. Wetlands must reach 50% mudflats before the end of the selected week.
  • Option 1: First week of April
  • Option 2: Second week of April
  • Option 3: Third week of April
• Allow access to wetland units for compliance and biological monitoring

Photo of ideal drawdown conditions (50% mudflats/ 50% flooded)

This image highlights an ideal spring habitat for shorebirds and other waterbirds. By holding winter water into spring and gradually lowering water levels, we mimic the conditions of a natural system. As water recedes, it exposes saturated mudflats and shallow ponded areas. These habitats concentrate invertebrates, creating vital protein-rich food sources for migrating birds.

Shorebirds migrating through the Central Valley in April depend on these habitats as they journey north to their breeding grounds. However, when managed wetlands release winter water too early, much of this critical stopover habitat disappears, leaving birds with fewer opportunities to rest and refuel during their migration.

i© Greg Golet

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT:

• Wetland must have less than 50% emergent cover/vegetation (particularly cattails/tules) to ensure availability of open habitat for shorebirds and minimize costs associated with mosquito abatement. 

Payment Rates

BUDGET: $320,000

CENTRAL VALLEY HABITAT GOAL: 13,500 acres

PAYMENT RATES (Per Acre):

REGION	OPTION 1 (First Week of April)	OPTION 2 (Second Week of April)	OPTION 3 (Third Week of April)
Sacramento Valley and San Joaquin Valley (Excluding Grasslands Water District)	$18	$20	$22
Grasslands Water District, Suisun, and Delta	$10	$10	$15
Tulare	$120	$140	$160

Application Ranking and Scoring Process

All bids will be ranked and scored by representatives from the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. This committee will assess bids according to standardized methods, using the best available science and tools that predict the habitat value of each application according to its location in the landscape, history of bird use in the surrounding area, and timing. Applicants that are able to flood longer and have larger acreages will rank higher.

Ranking Strategy:

Primary ranking will be conducted at the regional level. The highest-scoring bids will be selected within a region until the regional habitat target is met. Targets are set so each region has an opportunity to contribute toward a portion of the Central Valley-wide habitat target. Spring regional habitat targets are set at 10% of the Central Valley-wide habitat objective. With remaining funding, the highest-scoring bids across all regions will be selected until all funding is spent or the statewide habitat target is met.

Wetland Gradual Drawdown Sequence

Why the Spring Wetland Program Matters

Each spring, shorebirds like sandpipers and plovers migrate thousands of miles along the Pacific Flyway, stopping in California’s Central Valley to rest and refuel. With over 90% of historic wetlands lost, private lands now make up 65% of the remaining habitat these birds rely on.

Our Spring Wetland Program helps keep these critical areas flooded during migration, providing the food and shelter shorebirds need to complete their journey. By supporting this program, you’re helping protect migratory birds and sustain the Central Valley’s rich biodiversity.

The BirdReturns Program is managed by the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership (The Nature Conservancy, Audubon California, and Point Blue Conservation Science), in partnership with Suisun Resource Conservation District. This program is possible thanks to the generous funding by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Questions? Contact Us!