Twitchell Island Eco-Cultural Burn Pilot Project

In January through March 2026, the California Department of Water Resources will execute a single 10-acre ecocultural burn on Twitchell Island in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, in partnership with researchers from California State University, Chico, UC Berkeley, and CSU East Bay. The purpose is to reintroduce culturally informed fire to reduce excess dead biomass, enhance wetland health, and evaluate the potential for carbon sequestration improvements in subsidence reversal wetlands, with the long-term goal of establishing a model for managing Delta wetlands through traditional ecological knowledge. The burn will occur on a single weather-permitting day with wind speeds between two and eight miles per hour and acceptable air quality conditions, supported by established contingency lines and oversight from the River Delta Fire Academy, which will also use the event as a training opportunity. Key personnel include Dr. Don Hankins as lead cultural practitioner, Dr. Kyle Delwiche directing carbon measurement efforts, and Dr. Patty Oikawa overseeing carbon flux monitoring. The project operates under a CEQA Class 1 exemption for minor maintenance activities and is not subject to competitive solicitation, as reflected by the absence of a formal solicitation number, contract type, or pricing details. There is no stated contract value, payment methodology, or formal invoicing system, and the work is administered by Tyler Anthony, Senior Environmental Scientist at DWR, who serves as the primary point of contact. No standard federal acquisition regulation clauses, packaging requirements, inspection criteria, or socioeconomic certifications are included, and the effort is structured as a non-competitive pilot initiative centered on ecological and cultural restoration rather than conventional procurement.