Walking Wetlands at Tule Lake NWR (5468918134)

Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge received funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to construct levees as part of the Walking Wetlands Restoration Project. The Walking Wetlands Restoration Project builds wetland infrastructure on refuge lands leased to local farmers.
Core trenching and refill is a practice used in the construction of levees in highly organic soils, and ensures no large cracks exist under the levee system used in the project. When complete, the project will create a block of 1,300 acres to be flooded for two years beginning in the fall of 2009/2010. The land will then be returned to crops for a period of three to five years. The lands will then be flooded for two years, repeating the cycle of “Walking Wetlands.” To date, the Walking Wetland program has added over 7,000 acres of new wetlands to the Klamath Basin.
Walking Wetlands have reduced the use of chemicals used to combat pests and noxious weeds, with benefits lasting from three to ten years following the rotation. Reduced chemical inputs coupled with crop yields increases up to 25 percent helps to improve a farmer’s bottom line and consequently rural community economics.
Sierra Equipment Rental of Glenn, Calif. was awarded a contract to perform core trenching and refill, one of two sub-projects required in construction of levees needed for the wetlands project.

Established in 1928, Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge is managed as part of the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The refuge encompasses 39,116 acres of mostly open water and croplands. Approximately 17,000 acres are leased by farmers under a program administered by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Refuge permit holders farm another 1,900 acres of cereal grain and alfalfa. These crops, together with the waste grain and potatoes from the lease program are a major food source for migrating and wintering waterfowl. (USFWS photo)