SRCSD - Our Beautiful Bufferlands

Sacramento Watershed

Our Beautiful Bufferlands

Sacramento Constructed Wetlands Demonstration Project

Water Recycling Program

Sacramento Coordinated Monitoring Program

Renewing Riparian Forests

Restoring Native Grasslands

What You Can Do

It's important for wastewater treatment plants to be good neighbors to local communities. In the 1970s, the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (SRCSD) planned a large undeveloped buffer area between its Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant and surrounding neighborhoods in southern Sacramento County. That farsighted decision led to conservation of increasingly scarce wetlands, grasslands and riparian forest habitats on SRCSDs 2,650 acres of Bufferlands.

SRCSD Leads in Successful Habitat Management

Today the specialists in our Bufferlands Office work to preserve and enhance these precious natural resources by applying adaptive habitat management practices. SRCSD's Bufferlands are presently the year-round home for more than 200 species of birds and a winter vacation spot for many more migratory species.

Bufferlands Features
Interesting features of the Bufferlands include: Upper Beach Lake Wildlife Area The biodiversity and productivity of this 550-acre site next to Interstate 5 makes it a model for successful wetlands management practices.
Laguna Wetlands
Adjoining Laguna Creek, this area contain wetlands, a permanent lake and both natural and constructed seasonal pools.
Constructed Wetlands
In this experimental project, treated effluent from our Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant is disinfected with ultraviolet light, then discharged into artificial wetlands. The project, designed to test the effectiveness and economic feasibility of this method of wastewater treatment, completed the five-year pilot phase in 1999. The final results of the five-year monitoring report can be viewed by clicking here.
Trail of Trees
Large plantings of native trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers along the Franklin Boulevard frontage will enhance the environment of neighboring residents for generations to come, while providing habitat to a diverse assemblage of birds, mammals, and insects.

Visiting the SRCSD Bufferlands

Because much of the Bufferlands serves as a wildlife sanctuary, access is generally restricted. Public tours are offered as part of the annual Walk on the Wildside celebration, sponsored by the National Wildlife Refuge System each May, and in conjunction with other environmental events. Click here to see pictures from Walk on the Wildside. If you would like to be added to the Bufferlands email list to be notified of upcoming events, please send email to Roger Jones at jonesro@sacsewer.com. You can also find a listing of events on our Bufferlands Tours and Events Page or by downloading our 2008 Calendar (in .pdf format - see right).

Resources:

If you would like greater detail, the Bird list and Plant list are also available in Excel spreadsheet versions.

Links:

Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Association