Peat Accretion Histories During the Past 6,000 Years in Marshes of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, CA, USA

Drexler, Judith Z.; Fontaine, C. S. de; Brown, Thomas A.

doi:10.1007/s12237-009-9202-8

Cited by 61 publications

(65 citation statements)

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“…Early work demonstrated the relation of GHG emissions to subsidence, and the benefit of permanently flooded wetlands in reducing carbon losses and mitigating subsidence (Deverel and Rojstaczer 1996;Deverel et al 1998;Miller et al 2000Miller et al , 2008. Millennial undisturbed carbon sequestration rates in the Delta were determined by Drexler (2009).…”

Section: Implications For Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Econmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Economics of a Changing Agricultural Mosaic in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta

Deverel¹,

Jacobs²,

Lucero³

et al. 2017

SFEWS

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We quantified the greenhouse-gas (GHG) emission and economic implications of alternative crop and wetland mosaics on a Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta island: Staten Island. Using existing GHG fluxes measurements for the Delta and biogeochemical models, we estimated GHG emissions for a range of scenarios, including the status quo, modified groundwater management, and incorporating rice and managed wetlands. For current land uses, emissions were predicted to vary greatly (48,000 to 105,000 t CO 2 -e yr -1 ) with varying groundwater depth. GHG emissions were highest when water depth was 120 cm, the typical depth for a Delta island, and lowest if water table depth was shallowest (60 cm). In the alternate land-use scenarios, we simulated wetlands and rice cultivation in areas of highest organic-matter soils, greatest subsidence, and GHG emissions. For each scenario, we analyzed economic implications for the land-owner by determining profit changes relative to the status quo. We spatially assigned areas for rice and wetlands, and then allowed the Delta Agricultural Production (DAP) model to optimize the allocation of other crops to maximize profit. The scenario that included wetlands decreased profits 79% relative to the status quo but reduced GHG emissions by 43,000 t CO 2 -e yr -1 (57% reduction). When mixtures of rice and wetlands were introduced, farm profits decreased 16%, and the GHG emission reduction was 33,000 t CO 2 -e yr -1 (44% reduction). When rice was cultivated on 38% of the island, profit increased 12% and emissions were 22,000 t CO 2 -e yr -1 lower than baseline emissions (30% reduction). Conversion to a mosaic of wetlands and crops including rice could substantially reduce overall GHG emissions of cultivated lands in the Delta without greatly affecting profitability.

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Section: Implications For Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Econmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Economics of a Changing Agricultural Mosaic in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta

Deverel¹,

Jacobs²,

Lucero³

et al. 2017

SFEWS

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“…Core data (Drexler et al 2009b) demonstrated significant accretion rate and peat compositional changes within the last 350 years. We, therefore, modified the model to accept time-varying inputs for first-year decomposition rates, organic and mineral inputs, initial and final porosity, and subsidence rates.…”

Section: Franks Wetland Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within an area of about 81,000 ha in the central Delta, an estimated 4.5 billion m 3 of soils with a high organic matter content (peat) accreted during the last 6,700 years as sea level rose (Shlemon and Begg 1975;Drexler et al 2009aDrexler et al , 2009bMount and Twiss 2005). In tidal marshes, peat vertically accretes concomitantly with sea level rise (Jelgersma et al 1993;Mitsch and Gosselink 2000) and when organic matter accumulates at a faster rate than it decomposes (Boelter and Verry 1977;Mitsch and Gosselink 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Climate, plant community dynamics, tectonics, and hydrologic processes influence long-term peat accumulation (Siegel 1983;Jelgersma et al 1993;Mitsch and Gosselink 2000). Using physical and chemical data for cores collected throughout the Delta, Drexler et al (2009aDrexler et al ( , 2009b provided insight into vertical accretion of peat and demonstrated fundamental differences among islands where mineral input was more dominant (e.g., Browns Island) because of sediment input from the Sacramento River and those where organic accretion predominated (e.g., at a wetland area located within Franks Tract State Recreation Area [lat 38.059, long −121.611], hereafter, "Franks Wetland") near the San Joaquin River (Figure 1). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently accumulated sediments in the impounded marsh on the Twitchell Island demonstration project ) also are over 75% organic matter. We used data described in Drexler et al (2009aDrexler et al ( , 2009b to simulate accretion on Franks Wetland during the last 4,700 years. We also analyzed data collected during the first 12 years in the Twitchell Island demonstration project and simulated vertical accretion and carbon accumulation rates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impounded Marshes on Subsided Islands: Simulated Vertical Accretion, Processes, and Effects, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, CA USA

Deverel¹,

Ingrum²,

Lucero³

et al. 2014

SFEWS

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There is substantial interest in stopping and reversing the effects of subsidence in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) where organic soils predominate. Also, the passage of California Assembly Bill 32 in 2006 created the potential to trade credits for carbon sequestered in wetlands on subsided Delta islands. The primary purpose of the work described here was to estimate future vertical accretion and understand processes that affect vertical accretion and carbon sequestration in impounded marshes on subsided Delta islands. Using a cohort-accounting model, we simulated vertical accretion from 4,700 calibrated years before present (BP) at a wetland area located within Franks Tract State Recreation Area (lat 38.059, long −121.611, hereafter, "Franks Wetland")-a small, relatively undisturbed marsh island-and at the Twitchell Island subsidencereversal demonstration project since 1997. We used physical and chemical data collected during the study as well as literature values for model inputs. Model results compared favorably with measured rates of vertical accretion, mass of carbon sequestered, bulk density and organic matter content.From 4,700 to model-estimated 350 years BP, the simulated rate of vertical accretion at Franks Wetland averaged about 0.12 cm yr -1 , which is within the range of rates in tidal wetlands worldwide. Our model results indicate that large sediment inputs during the last 150 to 200 years resulted in a higher accretion rate of 0.3 cm yr -1 . On Twitchell Island, greater organic inputs resulted in average vertical accretion rates as high as 9.2 cm yr -1 . Future simulations indicate that the managed impounded marsh will accrete highly organic material at rates of about 3 cm yr -1 . Model results coupled with GIS analysis indicate that large areas of the periphery of the Delta, if impounded and converted to freshwater marsh, could be restored to tidal elevations within 50 to 100 years. Most of the central Delta would require 50 to 250 years to be restored to projected mean sea level. A large portion of the western Delta could be restored to mean sea level within 50 to 150 years (large areas on Sherman, Jersey, and Bethel islands, and small areas on Bradford, Twitchell, and Brannan islands, and Webb Tract). We estimated that long-term carbon sequestration rates for impounded marshes such as the Twitchell Island demonstration ponds will range from 12 to 15 metric tons carbon ha -1 yr -1 . Creation of impounded marshes on Delta islands can substantially benefit levee stability as demonstrated by cumulative force and hydraulic gradient calculations.1 HydroFocus, Inc., Davis, CA USA 2 U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center Sacramento, CA USA * Corresponding author: sdeverel@hydrofocus.com SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY & WATERSHED SCIENCE 2 INTRODUCTIONThe 300,000-ha Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a critical natural resource, important agricultural region and the hub for California's water supply. Within an area of about 81,000 ha in the central Delta, an estimated 4.5 billion ...

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Variation of energy and carbon fluxes from a restored temperate freshwater wetland and implications for carbon market verification protocols

et al. 2016

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Temperate freshwater wetlands are among the most productive terrestrial ecosystems, stimulating interest in using restored wetlands as biological carbon sequestration projects for greenhouse gas reduction programs. In this study, we used the eddy covariance technique to measure surface energy carbon fluxes from a constructed, impounded freshwater wetland during two annual periods that were 8 years apart ), and when these values are evaluated as a sustained flux, the wetland will not reach radiative balance even after 500 years.

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Peat Accretion Histories During the Past 6,000 Years in Marshes of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, CA, USA

Cited by 61 publications

References 58 publications

Implications for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Economics of a Changing Agricultural Mosaic in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta

Implications for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Economics of a Changing Agricultural Mosaic in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta

Impounded Marshes on Subsided Islands: Simulated Vertical Accretion, Processes, and Effects, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, CA USA

Variation of energy and carbon fluxes from a restored temperate freshwater wetland and implications for carbon market verification protocols

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