Butte Sink Mitigation Bank (Butte Creek Farms)

The project at Butte Creek Farms aims to restore and preserve approximately 288.25 acres of stream and floodplain habitat for salmonid species by transforming existing rice fields into functional riparian forest through the planting of native cottonwood and willow seedlings. Key activities include notching five sections of an existing berm to improve floodwater connectivity to the property, removing abandoned county roads and all on-site culverts, and stabilizing stream banks using bioengineered techniques such as planted stakes and natural debris racks. The diversion structure will be torn down, portions of the Highline Canal will be rerouted, and twin culverts will be installed to manage water flow. A new berm will be constructed to establish a formal mitigation bank, and signs will be added to existing gates for visibility and compliance. Irrigation infrastructure already on-site may be utilized to flood areas as needed to accelerate habitat development. This initiative is authorized under a permit issued by the Central Valley Flood Protection Board and supplements, but takes precedence over, Permit No. 19707 previously granted to Butte Sink Mitigation, LLC in June 2025. The work involves temporary staging areas and on-site stockpiling, along with grading and site preparation to ensure ecological integrity. The project is located in Colusa County, California, and is overseen by the California State agency, with primary contact through Jennifer Calles, Senior Environmental Scientist, and Greg Plucker, Director of Community Development for Colusa County. The effort seeks to enhance regional flood resilience and aquatic habitat while meeting regulatory requirements for habitat mitigation and long-term conservation outcomes.