DAVIS RANCHES HONORED FOR FISH SCREEN INSTALLATION

(May 25, 2004) Steve Edmondson, NOAA Northern California Habitat Supervisor, presented the agency’s Environmental Stewardship Award to Dan Griffith, representing Davis Ranches. The Davis Ranches is composed of some 32 owners, all blood related. They are the descendents of the founder of the ranch, Howell Davis. The ranch was founded in the 1850’s.

The Home Ranch consists of approximately 9,110 acres around the former town of Sycamore in Colusa County, California. The Davis family farms all of the orchards on the Home Ranch, as well as operates the irrigation and drainage system on the Ranch, for some 22 area tenants that farm crops of rice, corn, tomatoes, safflower, vine seeds, and cattle.

The Home Ranch is irrigated primarily by six pumps along the Sacramento River under a contract with the Bureau of Reclamation. Davis Ranches has been proactively working to assist the fishery resource through the installation of numerous fish screens. With the installation of this project, four of the six pumps, which service the ranch, have now been screened.

At the public demonstration of the screens, Dan Griffith commented that, “The screening of our pumps not only helps the fishery resource, but also enables us to continue to divert water for the purpose of production agriculture, in compliance with the Endangered Species Act. The Davis Family has taken a proactive position regarding habitat and endangered species. The Family Water Alliance Small Diversion Fish Screen Program has made this all possible. They helped us secure funding, obtain permits, and provided the necessary oversight to make this project a success. This program exemplifies that farmers and fishery agencies can work together. We appreciate everyone’s outstanding efforts, not only on this project, but the entire program.”