Winter flooded rice fields in the Sacramento Valley are more than just remnants of America’s sushi rice harvest—they are fields of life. Each winter, these rice fields transform into a critical stopover for snow geese, swans, and countless other birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway. With 95% of California’s historical floodplains now gone, these surrogate wetlands provide vital ecological benefits. The water districts serving agricultural lands in the Sacramento Valley, such as Western Canal Water District, play a critical role in the conservation work happening on many rice farms during the off-season. For Western Canal, the ability to offer affordable water supplies during the fall and winter has made conservation practices popular in their district.