{"id":9049,"date":"2015-08-04T08:16:44","date_gmt":"2015-08-04T15:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov\/wordpress\/?p=9049"},"modified":"2015-08-04T08:16:44","modified_gmt":"2015-08-04T15:16:44","slug":"trading-vineyards-living-river-napa-county-california-water-blog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov\/wordpress\/index.php\/2015\/08\/04\/trading-vineyards-living-river-napa-county-california-water-blog\/","title":{"rendered":"Trading vineyards for a ‘living river’ in Napa County – from the California Water Blog"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Rutherford<\/a>

Rutherford Reach on the Napa River<\/p><\/div>\n

By Amber Manfree<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the historic heart of Napa Valley, a moderate climate and the alluvial soils deposited by the Napa River create perfect conditions for world-class cabernets. An acre of vines here sells for around\u00a0$300,000<\/a>, or 25 times the state average for irrigated cropland.<\/p>\n

Yet a group of landowners have ripped out 20 acres of these prized vineyards to make room for river restoration, with levee setbacks, terraced banks and native plants.<\/p>\n

The project runs the length of Rutherford Reach, a 4.5-mile stretch of the Napa River between St. Helena and Oakville. Landowners say the changes will bring economic benefits over the long term by reducing crop losses from floods and plant disease. Most of all, they feel good about giving back to the river that has brought them so much.<\/p>\n

Rutherford Reach is one several sites undergoing major habitat and flood control improvements on the Napa River. Some projects started more than 40 years ago. Others are just getting off the ground.<\/p>\n

Far from postage-stamp restorations, these efforts are steadily transforming a huge swath of wetlands in a very lived-in rural area, re-establishing geomorphic function at the landscape scale.<\/p>\n

Innovative funding, inclusive planning and adaptive management power these projects and offer lessons for river restoration elsewhere.<\/p>\n

\"With<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For decades, landowners along the Rutherford Reach struggled with bank instability and floods. The river was confined to create more space for vineyards while upstream dams reduced sediment delivery, leading to incision and eventually lowering the riverbed six to nine feet.<\/p>\n

Without a healthy stream profile, desirable river processes and species were lost. Invasive plants such as giant reed and Himalayan blackberry overtook the banks, further degrading habitat and hosting problem insects.<\/p>\n

Then, in 2002, a group of influential vintners organized as the\u00a0Rutherford Dust Society<\/a>\u00a0approached Napa County about partnering to restore the reach, and a new path to restoration unfolded. The landowners:<\/p>\n