October 1, 2025By Brad Branan
In a unique collaboration between farmers, water officials, and conservation groups, Floodplain Forward works on some of California’s biggest water problems, opting for collaboration over confrontation. As part of Floodplain Forward, River Partners has proven that our cutting-edge science works, as in the case of Willow Bend Preserve, our 175-acre property on the Sacramento River near Colusa. We combined science know-how with innovation and created an environment that allows young salmon to enter the water-filled floodplain, where they find bugs to eat and a place to rest.
The flooding [of the Sacramento River] often put fish on the land, but there was no effective way for them to get back in the river. After purchasing the property, River Partners enlisted Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to design a “fish gate” that allows fish to move on and off the preserve when it floods.
