Science activity

On-going subsidence of organic soils threatens the physical structure of the Delta, its central role in the state’s water system, many diverse species that depend on it, and threatens future agricultural production. Knowledge of baseline
emissions and subsidence rates is important for developing alternative land use scenarios for maximizing benefits for sequestering carbon, reducing or reversing subsidence, providing income for landowners via the carbon market, and
reducing flood risk. 
This project will gather, process, and analyze recent data in the Delta for land-surface elevation changes, greenhouse gas fluxes measured by eddy covariance and gas chambers, soil organic matter content, depth-to-groundwater, and soil
organic thickness. These data will be used to update and calibrate the SUBCALC model and refine model inputs to improve the model’s ability to simulate subsidence and CO2 emissions. Collaboration with the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory and UC Berkeley will allow use of CO2 flux and InSAR data to calibrate and validate the SUBCALC model. The Delta Conservancy is another partner assisting with assessment of modeling for land-use conversion planning.
TNC and Metropolitan Water District are partners to assist with use of SUBCALC for engagement of the carbon market and collaborate with the Suisun RCD to improve estimates of subsidence and CO2 emissions.