At the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan), climate action is not just about setting ambitious goals—it’s about turning them into measurable results. That’s why our approach to performance management combines science, accountability, and innovation. We build detailed greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, set bold targets, and report our progress transparently. Just as important, we invest in projects that deliver multiple benefits for people and the environment.
This year, that commitment took a big step forward in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, where Metropolitan is reimagining how agriculture and ecosystem restoration can work hand-in-hand to address climate change.
Building Climate Solutions on Webb Tract and Bacon Island
In August 2025, Metropolitan’s board approved two agricultural leases that will transform thousands of acres of farmland on district-owned Delta islands into rice production. The goal: to slow land subsidence, sequester carbon, maintain agriculture, support migratory birds, and create a more resilient Delta ecosystem.
- Webb Tract – Restoration in Progress: After a competitive selection process, Bouldin Farming Company was chosen to farm rice on about 1,500 acres. With more than three decades of Delta experience, Bouldin Farming is well-equipped to adapt Webb’s unique soils and conditions. A $4 million grant from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy will help offset land leveling costs to prepare the land for rice. In parallel, Metropolitan is advancing a wetlands restoration project on the island, backed by over $16 million in funding from the Delta Conservancy. When complete, it will convert about 2,400 acres into seasonal wetlands that mimic historic Delta conditions and store carbon while providing vital habitat.
- Bacon Island – Partnering with Regenerative Agriculture Leaders: On Bacon Island in San Joaquin County, Metropolitan is preparing to lease about 5,000 acres to Lundberg Family Farms, a company known nationally for its commitment to regenerative agriculture. The project will bring advanced rice farming techniques tailored to the Delta’s soils, create wildlife-friendly habitats, and potentially generate carbon credits to support long-term land stewardship.
Together, these projects mark a major transition from planning to action, ensuring Metropolitan-owned lands in the Delta contribute to climate solutions, ecosystem restoration, and economic resilience.
Rice farming and wetland restoration are powerful examples of nature-based solutions. Traditional row crops often accelerate subsidence—land sinking below sea level—which increases flood risk and releases carbon stored in soils. In contrast, rice farming maintains wetter soil conditions, reducing oxidation of peat soils and slowing subsidence.
Wetlands go a step further by actively sequestering carbon, improving water quality, and creating critical habitat for fish and wildlife. Both approaches also provide seasonal benefits for migratory birds, especially waterfowl that depend on the Delta during the winter months.
Turning Climate Goals into Measurable Outcomes
The Webb Tract and Bacon Island projects illustrate Metropolitan’s performance-driven approach to climate action:
- Tracking emissions: Our commitment to comprehensive emissions tracking helps us understand where projects like rice farming and wetlands can make the biggest impact. GHG emissions are tracked across all our operations and construction projects, in addition to emissions from employee commutes. For projects like the one on Webb Tract, emissions have been monitored for a year, establishing a baseline for the emissions generated from subsidence. Once the rice farming is implemented, the GHG emission monitoring stations will gather GHG data, and comparisons to the baseline will be possible.
- Setting ambitious targets: These projects directly support our commitment to climate action, complementing our Climate Action Plan and reducing our emissions while creating ecological co-benefits.
- Reporting transparently: From grant awards to lease approvals, we share progress with the public and our partners. We hold ourselves accountable while demonstrating what climate action looks like in practice.
As Metropolitan Board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. said, “These leases support our science-based approach to land management, rooted in sustainability. They build on decades of investment in the Delta, recognizing that addressing subsidence and protecting native species are essential to ensuring long-term resilience and ecological health in the region.”
A Model for the Future
The work on Webb Tract and Bacon Island represents more than just two projects. It’s part of a broader effort to show how agriculture, restoration, and resilience can coexist in one of California’s most vital ecosystems. By reducing emissions, sequestering carbon, and restoring habitat, these projects create measurable benefits that will last for generations.
As Metropolitan General Manager Deven Upadhyay noted, “This step allows us to move from planning to on-the-ground action.”
With performance and prioritization guiding our efforts, Metropolitan is demonstrating how climate commitments can be transformed into real, lasting outcomes—for the Delta, for California, and for the communities we serve.
