2023 Rice Levee Program Application

California Waterfowl’s Rice Levee Pilot Program pays rice farmers to provide waterfowl nesting habitat on their levees during the spring and summer. This is a bid program; you tell us what it will cost for you to provide more habitat in your fields. We’ll rank the bids based on environmental and economic factors and notify successful applicants by November 15th, 2022. Program Requirements: If selected for the program, rice levees must be reconstructed before January 1st and left undisturbed until July 15th. Fields that will be fallowed in 2023 may also be eligible if they provide suitable nesting and brood habitat. Fallowed fields must be located adjacent to planted rice fields or wetlands that will be flooded through August 15th. CWA staff will be regularly monitoring enrolled fields for nesting activity from April 1st to July 15th. Payments will be made shortly after July 15th if program requirements have been met. If you have questions, please contact Jason Coslovich at 408-644-3525 or jcoslovich@calwaterfowl.org.