About the San Joaquin Valley RCIS
The San Joaquin Valley RCIS is a landscape-scale approach to addressing the environmental challenges facing the San Joaquin Valley.
Why Develop an RCIS for the San Joaquin Valley?
Reclamation District (RD) 2092 and partners are pursuing an RCIS for the San Joaquin Valley to increase habitat connectivity and quality, streamline multibenefit project funding and implementation, and provide community benefits (e.g., recreational spaces). The RCIS will be aligned with current plans (e.g., Central Valley Flood Protection Plan, FloodMAR), improving local and regional coordination. It will work to establish an integrated landscape that supports flood control, wildlife habitat, high-quality agricultural land, and sustainable water resource management.
The San Joaquin Valley region has a unique set of needs and opportunities, since it provides critical water, habitat, and agricultural resources for California. The rivers flowing through the region serve as important corridors across the landscape for wildlife and commerce. Yet, the region has been impacted by groundwater overdraft, climate change, increased flood risk, and the loss of landscape heterogeneity and habitat connectivity. While existing plans tackle some of these issues, there is a need to strengthen and coordinate efforts for a more regional approach.
Location
The San Joaquin Valley RCIS will be implemented across the northern San Joaquin Valley, with its northern boundary located just north of Tracy, CA, and its southern boundary following the San Joaquin River. The RCIS extends from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east to Interstate 5 along its western edge. The RCIS is located within San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, and Madera counties. Small portions of the RCIS extend into Tuolumne and Fresno counties.
The San Joaquin Valley RCIS will be implemented across the northern San Joaquin Valley, with its northern boundary located just north of Tracy, CA, and its southern boundary following the San Joaquin River. The RCIS extends from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east to Interstate 5 along its western edge. The RCIS is located within San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, and Madera counties. Small portions of the RCIS extend into Tuolumne and Fresno counties.
Impact
Communities, agencies, and private entities can all benefit from the San Joaquin RCIS. Landowners could have new opportunities for funding existing or new conservation projects through MCAs or grant funding. Agencies within the RCIS boundary could have a streamlined mechanism for planning and funding multi-benefit flood projects. Private entities, such as developers, could have more flexible mitigation options to suit their needs. Successful implementation can:
• Bring more funding to the region.
• Enable self-mitigating flood management projects and temporary mitigation for short-term impacts.
• Smooth a pathway for permitting multi-benefit flood management and restoration projects.
• Coordinate faster, more cost-effective mitigation opportunities across a broad geography.
• Advance groundwater banking opportunities, particularly those that include wildlife benefits.
• Create a mechanism to extend coordinated conservation planning up into the tributaries, which are critical for habitat corridors and are often excluded from planning measures.
Communities, agencies, and private entities can all benefit from the San Joaquin RCIS. Landowners could have new opportunities for funding existing or new conservation projects through MCAs or grant funding. Agencies within the RCIS boundary could have a streamlined mechanism for planning and funding multi-benefit flood projects. Private entities, such as developers, could have more flexible mitigation options to suit their needs. Successful implementation can:
- Bring more funding to the region.
- Enable self-mitigating flood management projects and temporary mitigation for short-term impacts.
- Smooth a pathway for permitting multi-benefit flood management and restoration projects.
- Coordinate faster, more cost-effective mitigation opportunities across a broad geography.
- Advance groundwater banking opportunities, particularly those that include wildlife benefits.
- Create a mechanism to extend coordinated conservation planning up into the tributaries, which are critical for habitat corridors and are often excluded from planning measures.
Do you have questions about the San Joaquin Valley RCIS?
Explore this website to learn about the San Joaquin Valley RCIS and track its progress. If you have questions, contact us.
The San Joaquin Valley RCIS is part of a broader conservation effort, led by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Visit the CDFW website to learn more about the RCIS program.
