{
  "id": 15121977,
  "title": "In 2018, California began turning 1,187 acres of Delta dairy and grazing land back into tidal marsh to create a safe home for young salmon",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/in-2018-california-began-turning-1-187-acres-of-delta-dairy-and",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-17T04:53:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times - World News",
    "slug": "hindustan-times-world-news",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/in-2018-california-began-turning-1-187-acres-of-delta-dairy-and-grazing-land-back-into-tidal-marsh-to-create-a-safe-home-for-young-salmon-101791371729724.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 2018, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and its partners initiated the restoration of Dutch Slough, a former dairy and grazing land in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The project aimed to transform 1,187 acres of land into tidal marsh, providing a safer habitat for young salmon and other aquatic species. The initial phase of the project, completed in 2021, involved grading the land to create a gentle slope, allowing water to flow in from the Delta channels and out with the tides. The DWR breached the levees in five locations, opening approximately 700 acres of the site to tidal waters. The project is part of California EcoRestore, an initiative to restore at least 30,000 acres of habitat in the Delta by 2020. The goal is to create a diverse habitat for juvenile salmon and other species, similar to the mix found in Suisun Marsh. The site, located near Oakley and the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, also offers recreational opportunities, including a community park for hiking, biking, and birdwatching.",
  "summary": "In 2018, California began turning 1,187 acres of Delta dairy and grazing land into tidal marsh to give young salmon and endangered fish a safe refuge.",
  "key_points": [
    "California restored 1,187 acres of Delta land into tidal marsh in 2018",
    "Dutch Slough project completed in 2021 with graded land and breached levees",
    "Initiative part of California EcoRestore to restore 30,000 acres by 2020"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Converting former grazing lands into tidal marshes shifts the Delta landscape from agricultural use toward large-scale habitat restoration designed to support juvenile salmon and diverse aquatic species.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "In 2016, Clint and Maggie Eastwood donated 79 acres along California’s Carmel River, adding to an earlier 49-acre gift",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/in-2016-clint-and-maggie-eastwood-donated-79-acres-along-californias",
        "published": "2026-10-17T03:37:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}