As we move into March, we will see several changes in the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Spring is the time for seasonal wetlands to be drawn down; so many ponds will become mudflats and then dry up completely. This change promotes the germination of moist-soil plants that produce a high seed load. The seed is an important source of food for fall migratory waterfowl. Some water will be held in a few specific ponds through the spring for our Discover the Flyway school programs as well as for ducklings.
It is likely that the dam at parking lot G, also known as the Los Rios Check Dam, will be put in place early due to expected drought conditions. This dam is removed in the fall to allow water to flow for salmon, but is needed to help store water though the summer for agriculture and flooding of wetlands. In the southern portion of the Wildlife Area, pastures are irrigated with the help of this water. Currently thousands of geese are eating on the greens to gain the needed nutrients for their migration back north.
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