| Title | Flow-Through Basins: Fundamentals of Design, Permitting, and Funding and Example Projects |
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| Year of Publication | 2026 |
| Link to Report/Website | suscon.org |
| Full Description | Sustainable Conservation’s *Flow-Through Basins* report introduces an approach to capturing floodwater along small creeks and rivers to reduce local flood risk, recharge groundwater, and provide habitat benefits. Published in September 2026, the report describes how these streamside basins temporarily hold floodwater, allowing it to infiltrate into the ground before excess water returns to the creek or river when the basin reaches capacity. Flow-through basins can be located on agricultural land or undeveloped floodplains where site conditions and landowner interest support their use. The report’s first section covers design fundamentals, hydrology, site selection, permitting considerations, funding opportunities, and potential research partnerships. It discusses how local topography, stream conditions, soils, and proximity to flood-vulnerable communities can inform project planning. It also explores opportunities to incorporate native vegetation and habitat features, including support for pollinators. The second section presents practitioner perspectives from Pixley Irrigation District, which helps manage a longstanding recharge basin that functions as a flow-through basin, and East Turlock Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agency, which is interested in implementing the approach as part of its groundwater sustainability strategy. The report provides a starting point for water managers, landowners, groundwater sustainability agencies, and conservation partners considering flow-through basins as part of broader flood management and groundwater recharge efforts. |
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