SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Audubon Society has received a million-dollar North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant, allowing the conservation group to launch a program to restore and enhance wetlands and uplands in the historic Tulare Basin of the southern Central Valley of California.

The NAWCA grant, the first to apply to the southern San Joaquin, will support the acquisition and restoration of wetlands on 2,762 acres; the restoration of an additional 200 acres; and the enhancement of more than 22,400 acres. Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU) will partner with Audubon to deliver the projects.

"Historic Goose Lake, along with Tulare, Kern, and Buena Vista Lakes, once provided homes for millions of waterfowl and shorebirds. Today, these areas are dry in all but the wettest of winters. This project allows a desperately needed restoration of what was once among the nation's most significant wetland habitats," says Audubon California State Director Dan Taylor. "We look forward to working with Ducks Unlimited to help this area recover its natural resource value."

"The work will focus upon improving water delivery systems to restored and existing wetlands, enhancing levee systems, and restoring wetland basins. Nesting cover adjacent to the wetland projects also will be enhanced," says Ducks Unlimited Project Leader Dan Connelly.

Less than 1 percent of the Tulare Basin's historic 520,000 acres of wetlands and seasonal wetlands has survived agriculture and development. The grant is expected to have major, long-term environmental benefits to waterfowl, shorebirds and mammals. A total of 214 bird species have been counted in the region's remaining wetlands.

Partners contributing to the habitat rescue effort include the Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, private landowners, the Semi-tropic Water District, and DU. Partner funds and matching funds total over $11 million of the $12.78 million proposal.

Wildlife benefiting from the project includes numerous duck species, such as Northern Pintail, Mallard, Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup, Redheads, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck and the American Wigeon. The Mountain Plover, Long-billed Curlew, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Black-headed Grosbeak, Tri-colored Blackbird, Western Grebe, American Bittern, Sandhill Crane, American Avocet, Western Sandpiper, Short-eared Owl, and dozens of others will also benefit.

The effort to create permanent and seasonal wetlands hinges, in part, on the pipeline project by the Semi-tropic Water District. The pipeline will play a major role in supplying water, particularly during drought periods.

Land acquisitions will be made through the Natural Resource Conservation Service's Wetland Reserve Program. The 2,762 acres will be converted into 1,657 acres of seasonal wetlands and 1,105 acres of associated uplands. Acquisitions are expected to cost $3.6 million.

Founded in 1905, Audubon connects people with nature through education and experience on the land. We help children, families, and adults from all walks of life develop an understanding of and appreciation of birds and other wildlife. We inspire them and give them the tools to act on behalf of the environment -- in their own homes and communities, as well as on the national level and beyond.

Tulare Basin Wetlands Restoration Project Fact Sheet

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant-funded program to restore and enhance wetlands in Tulare Basin will fund the following habitat improvements:

Willow Creek Ranch/Badger Almond Restoration The area constitutes the major portion of the western edge of historic Goose Lake. A total of 2,762 acres will be restored to wetlands and uplands. Work will include contouring the laser-leveled agricultural fields, constructing levees and installing water controls.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge Water Control More than 4,600 acres of the refuge will be enhanced through the construction of levees and installation of water control structures. The work will cost approximately $7.9 million.

South Pintail Pipeline An area of private wetland parcels will benefit from the construction of lateral irrigation pipelines from the South Pintail Pipeline. These wetlands have depended upon deep water wells, limiting the ability to maintain or expand wetlands. The establishment of a reliable and less costly water source will benefit 2,236 acres.

Goose Lake/Perimeter Water Delivery Ditch, Habitat Enhancement Two peripheral water supply ditches will be constructed to supply water to existing wetland acres and create a water resource for future wetland development. The area involves about 2,900 acres, and 1,450 of those acres currently are managed as wetlands.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge, Unit 1B Wetland Enhancement A 6,000-foot-long levee will be constructed to divide a wetland management unit so water management may be improved. The levee will enhance refuge manager's ability to control vegetation and allow water levels for Ibis and Tri-colored Blackbird nesting during the summer months.