big notch
yolo county, cA

MVE is providing a variety of services for the Big Notch, located within the Fremont Weir Wildlife Area in Yolo County. This 30,000 acre project will restore floodplain habitat and improve fish passage, both of which are imperative to the recovery of threatened and endangered fish species such as salmon and sturgeon. It is anticipated that when the project is completed in late 2023, the gated passage will be opened when the Sacramento River reaches a level where it will flow into the floodplain of the Yolo Bypass. The Big Notch Project is being carried out in conjunction with both the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project. Water is provided by the State Water Project to 27 million Californians, 750,000 acres of farmland, and businesses throughout the state. Every year, the Central Valley Project provides 5 million acre-feet of water for farms, 600,000 acre-feet of water for municipal and industrial use, and water for wildlife refuges, thereby reducing the risk of flooding in the Central Valley.