Fortunately, winter flooding of rice fields by farmers in the Lower Mississippi Valley is providing valuable wildlife habitat and helping to maintain cleaner water in the region s streams. Historically, nearly 40 million ducks and geese fed and rested in its extensive shallow wetlands. Rice agriculture in the Central Valley holds the key to providing much of the waterfowl habitat objectives set by the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. In addition, these habitats are used extensively by dozens of other bird species, including shorebirds, egrets, and herons. Beginning with 50 growers and 7,000 acres of flooded rice, the program has grown to 200 growers flooding nearly 140,000 acres of rice .
Growers typically flood harvested fields, then roll and crush the straw to enhance decomposition.