Sacramento valley

[MFstooges]

I have never seen rice farm in US. Are there anything nice scenery wise comparable to Asian paddy fields in Sacramento valley area?

 

[Rick A]

I wouldn't know, I've seen neither, but I have seen rice fields in Arkansas and they're nothing special.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I believe there are in the Sacramento Delta. Do a Google Search.

 

[tom williams]

I have never seen rice farm in US. Are there anything nice scenery wise comparable to Asian paddy fields in Sacramento valley area?

MF, there are many rice fields around Sacramento/West Sacramento, and along the Sacramento River. Colusa county also. That area exports rice to Japan, among other nations, and produces a substantial fraction of rice grown in the USA. The rice farms tend to be industrial-scale operations, so I'm not sure how like asian paddies they might be. I understand that rice production has been massively diminished by the drought.

There is a huge wildlife refuge along the highway 80 causeway (aka Yolo Bypass) between West Sacramento and Davis, heavily populated by birds that have migrated there for the winter. That refuge was a marvel the last time I visited, maybe 6 years ago, in winter. If there has been flooding, the morning tule fog can be heavy, creating an interesting effect over the levies and fields, and some unique photographic opportunities.

River towns along the delta region, downstream from Sacramento, attract photographers. I've taken several jaunts out that way, as a weekend day entertainment, to eyeball the old buildings, some riverboats, and cafes that cater to tourists. Plenty of rice down that way (in those days, some 25 years ago).

 

[DREW WILEY]

The Sacto River Delta can sometimes be lovely per wide views, skies, etc. Some of it has just undergone severe flooding. And this time of year, driving can be quite hazardous due to dense tule fog during nights and morning. You can get a sideways look at flooded rice fields from the long causeway overpass between Sactgo and Davis. But appreciating that whole highly productive farm region, much of it below sea level behind levees, requires exploring its many side roads or by boat. There are quite a few old towns, just like Tom just mentioned, as well as some significant wildlife refuges full of waterfowl, including lots of snow geese in season. A few yeas ago I drove one particular road during an impending winter storm too windy for view camera use, but fine for Fuji 6X9 RF handheld use, and I bagged a classic. The Central Valley is our equivalent of the Midwest, but even more agriculturally productive. The seemingly endless vista of almond orchard blooms will start soon.

But no, don't expect rice paddies. It more like huge flat flooded fields. But the area does indeed have its scenic benefits in the right seasons. I don't recommend summer, which does offer its own golden and brown hues, but is also so damn hot after morning that I hesitate to even stop to take a shot. I've crossed the Valley countless times, going between my place here on the coast to my weekend
place in the Sierra foothills, and will never tire of finding new little roads. The best way to get from Point A to B is the slowest route possible.

 

[BAC1967]

I’ve only really seen them from the air and never thought I’d like to check them out. Like Drew said, just large flat flooded fields. Maybe the cotton fields would be a bit more interesting.

 

[Richard Man]

No rice paddies, per se, but if you want inspiration, check out Roman Loranc's Central Valley photos, taken on his 4x5.

 

[Paul Howell]

I read in Newsweek, a few months ago, that many of the rice farms are fallow due to the draught. All of the rain North Cal has gotten may has eased the situation.

 

[gone]

I don't know about the Sac Valley, but Louisiana has more rice farms than you can shake a stick at. So yes, there are rice farms in the U.S. You need large areas of water to produce large amounts of rice. Louisiana has huge amounts of water. Just drive around there. You will be on bridges that cross over water so much it will make you want to go and buy a boat, which many people actually do. Of course, a lot of people may debate whether or not Louisiana is actually in the United States due to its large Cajun population, and a culture that is very different than any other place in the U.S.

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway that starts in New Orleans is the longest continuous bride over water in the whole world, measuring in at a hefty 24 miles. The second longest is the 23 Mile Bridge, which is also located in that state. It crosses the Manchac Swamp. Needless to say, there are rice farms everywhere down there and throughout the U.S. I'm in Arkansas now, and there are numerous rice fields here due to the Arkansas River, which is a tributary of the Mississippi River.

 

[DREW WILEY]

And don't forget about wild rice harvesting up north. That might be the most photogenic.

As far as Roman Loranc's photos, yeah, he did a lot of shots in and around the Colusa River wildlife refuge, and there is some rice farming around there, but not in any of his pictures as I recall. The main logistical problem in those bottomland the overcast season he prefers is the sheer danger of driving in dense tule fog. I asked him about that the only time I met him, and he gave me a wide-eyed stare, and, "yeah, really scary". Apparently one reason he moved out of the Valley into the sunny Shasta area. But the Shasta zone has been experiencing titanic fires, so ... ? All that smoke is worse than the tule fog. Dunno where he is located now.

 

[galyons]

If you are thinking of the hillside, multi terraced rice paddies endemic in Asian area photos, that is not the Sacramento Valley. It is a valley, flat as a pancake. The rice fields are laser levelled. There is however an abundance of wildlife, especially migratory birds. Also a lot of rather picturesque small rivers and sloughs. Beauty is almost everywhere.

Cheers,
Geary

 

[Richard Man]

the overcast season he prefers is the sheer danger of driving in dense tule fog

I have driven down to SoCal on I-5 during early Jan where the fog was so thick that the best I could do was to follow the dim taillights in front of me with almost no visibility to the road. Not sure whether it's the tule fog but sure is the wrong kind of excitement

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have driven down to SoCal on I-5 during early Jan where the fog was so thick that the best I could do was to follow the dim taillights in front of me with almost no visibility to the road. Not sure whether it's the tule fog but sure is the wrong kind of excitement

We ran into the same thing, slowed way down so we could stop in the range that we could see. We still got there a bit later.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Tule fog is symptomatic of the inland valleys in winter, especially the Central Valley. It's like a vast white ocean looking at it from above in the Sierras, with the Coast Range appearing like an island chain in the far distance, or visa versa. Much of the Central Valley once contained vast swamps; now just a few big duck and geese refuges remain. And those old damp bottomlands are where the tule fog is worst. It's clammy cold, dense, and oppressive, and can cause horrific auto wreck pileups and fatalities. But when it starts lifting around mid-morning, you've got some wonderful silky light out along the farm roads and rivers.

Our costal fog, mainly in summer, is entirely different. It's soft and enveloping, and largely dissipates at night.

 

[DREW WILEY]

My wife just picked up a bag of Basmati rice from the Delta labeled, Bird Friendly. In other words, they want people to know their method of growing rice is helpful to migrating birds. In our California water wars, the jealous southern San Joaquin Valley big growers often complain about Delta farmers "wasting water" by flooding rice fields in the winter. But those rice fields do double-duty as de facto wildlife refuges hosting vast numbers of migrating ducks and geese in winter. It's a win-win, except for those who would prefer that River water diverted south to them instead. Also note how several specialty or high-quality rice varieties are involved, which people and restaurants are willing to pay more for. Go into any Asian supermarket in CA, and Calif rice is right up there with the best import varieties.

 

[Huss]

I have never seen rice farm in US. Are there anything nice scenery wise comparable to Asian paddy fields in Sacramento valley area?

I lived in Sac for two years - 2019-2021 - and I'd say a hard no.

 

[Sirius Glass]

My wife just picked up a bag of Basmati rice from the Delta labeled, Bird Friendly. In other words, they want people to know their method of growing rice is helpful to migrating birds. In our California water wars, the jealous southern San Joaquin Valley big growers often complain about Delta farmers "wasting water" by flooding rice fields in the winter. But those rice fields do double-duty as de facto wildlife refuges hosting vast numbers of migrating ducks and geese in winter. It's a win-win, except for those who would prefer that River water diverted south to them instead. Also note how several specialty or high-quality rice varieties are involved, which people and restaurants are willing to pay more for. Go into any Asian supermarket in CA, and Calif rice is right up there with the best import varieties.

The southern San Joaquin Valley big growers complain about everyone else but then change out their fields and orchards to crops and trees that use even more water than they were using before. Also they have pumped out so much ground water that road and the ramps to bridges are sinking enough to cause serious road hazards.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Just tonite there was an interesting segment on a PBS foodie-travel show featuring CA delta organic rice farming. And I do have to disagree when people say there's nothing there interesting to photograph. Sure, it's all about huge flooded fields, and no hillside terraces etc. But especially this time of year (Feb thru March), it's common to have wonderful clouds that go on and on seemingly forever toward the horizon; and those flooded fields become tremendous panoramic mirrors of that. You also get lots of V-formation flocks of geese in the sky. If you can find a place to pull over on some levee road, and have the right kind of weather, it can be quite an experience. And en route you might encounter miles and miles of windmill farms, or vast swaths of blooming almond groves in early Spring.

The past month it there was just way too much rain, and a lot of those inland roads and levees were risky. But the intensity of incoming storms is quite a bit more moderate now, and it should be a beautiful upcoming season inland. Everything here on the coastal hills is emerald green right now, and it won't be long till wildflowers. But it's pretty muddy too. I sure got a lot of mud caked on my boots this afternoon's walking of the P67. Yeah, for horizontal landscapes, gotta have a rectangular format. Don't bring anything square; even the geese would laugh at you.

 

[Huss]

The southern San Joaquin Valley big growers complain about everyone else but then change out their fields and orchards to crops and trees that use even more water than they were using before. Also they have pumped out so much ground water that road and the ramps to bridges are sinking enough to cause serious road hazards.

The bottom line is rice should be grown where there is an abundant supply of water. That is not California - even though we may have just had record rains, that is the first time in about five years. The ground water is severely depleted. Also, this rice is pretty much grown for export, and due to lobbying other countries are 'forced' to buy it in exchange for us buying other goods from them. We are basically exporting our water, when we need it more! Even worse is the California almond and alfalfa crop. Something like 80% of that is exported, but the growers are getting water basically for free when everyone else is asked to cut back.

As for scenery - I'll give the floor to Drew. To me the Sac rice fields are not a thing of beauty. I get Drew's point that in the right conditions with a cloud filled sky there could be some nice imagery.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Huss- it is absolutely essential that sufficient volumes of water be retained and kept flowing through the Delta. It itself is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the country, but so low that if there is not sufficient flow, salt water will intrude and ruin it. It's critical to fisheries, including what remains of the salmon industry. The existence and restoration of Delta marsh lands is an far more efficient and cost-effective method of dealing with all the pollutants getting into the Bay, including mercury from the Gold Rush era, than any industrial option. That alone is potentially over a trillion dollar problem if common sense solutions aren't applied first, It's critical for waterfowl migration routes, since over 90% of the original Central Valley wetlands no longer exist. And Delta farming involves all kinds of different crops, with rice itself being only a small portion of the overall picture.

An underlying fact is that agriculture is still the economic base of much of California. Yes, diminishing water supplies have to be handled much more intelligently - including underground aquifer storage (rather than more giant evaporation pits behind hot climate dams), and someone finally saying No to mindless suburban sprawl which fails to take in account this issue. Few people are more aware of the actual history than me because my own father supervised the Friant-Kern Canal at the start of the Central Valley Project, along with related aspects of the dam itself, and told me stories of how decisions were made back then, with nobody anticipating anythihg resembling the giant population rise in Central Ca itself. The famous Governor Pat Brown candidly stated before his death, that if a lot or water got deported south, then the growth would occur mainly in LA, and leave the rest of the State relatively pristine! Naive times. It's all fascinating history, but now the bill is due.

I crossed the Valley innumerable times commuting on weekends of vacations between my place here on the coast and the one in the southern Sierras. One learns the seasons and the light. All of that vast water infrastructure and well as current drought has its photographic beauty. This time last year I took advantage of the extreme drought for sake of all the subtle earth-tone hues abounding everywhere, especially on the eastern edges of the Coast Range where it abuts the San Joaquin Valley. The relatively few wildflowers made intricate traceries along stair-step-like ridges of the fault escarpments etc. Wonderful non-postcardy compositions. Totally different from Superbloom years when the carpets of flowers seems endless.

The valley floor was in full almond bloom, with wonderful storm clouds in the sky. The scale of almond orchards is amazing. It is what it is. But I doubt that anyone is going to shut down the most valuable legal export crop in the US. It would make more sense not to develop further into what was formerly desert; but that's now a self-fulfilling prophecy. People lost a lot of money trying more planting the past 10 yrs; the water just wasn't there, almost Dust Bowl conditions. Just beware of driving around when the dust is blowing. Valley Fever (coccidiomycosis) was originally restricted a small region near Coalinga; now the drought has spread contaminated dust over seven States, and it's semi-epidemic (but can't be transmitted person to person, thank goodness).

 

[MFstooges]

And don't forget about wild rice harvesting up north. That might be the most photogenic.

As far as Roman Loranc's photos, yeah, he did a lot of shots in and around the Colusa River wildlife refuge, and there is some rice farming around there, but not in any of his pictures as I recall. The main logistical problem in those bottomland the overcast season he prefers is the sheer danger of driving in dense tule fog. I asked him about that the only time I met him, and he gave me a wide-eyed stare, and, "yeah, really scary". Apparently one reason he moved out of the Valley into the sunny Shasta area. But the Shasta zone has been experiencing titanic fires, so ... ? All that smoke is worse than the tule fog. Dunno where he is located now.

MF, there are many rice fields around Sacramento/West Sacramento, and along the Sacramento River. Colusa county also. That area exports rice to Japan, among other nations, and produces a substantial fraction of rice grown in the USA. The rice farms tend to be industrial-scale operations, so I'm not sure how like asian paddies they might be. I understand that rice production has been massively diminished by the drought.

There is a huge wildlife refuge along the highway 80 causeway (aka Yolo Bypass) between West Sacramento and Davis, heavily populated by birds that have migrated there for the winter. That refuge was a marvel the last time I visited, maybe 6 years ago, in winter. If there has been flooding, the morning tule fog can be heavy, creating an interesting effect over the levies and fields, and some unique photographic opportunities.

River towns along the delta region, downstream from Sacramento, attract photographers. I've taken several jaunts out that way, as a weekend day entertainment, to eyeball the old buildings, some riverboats, and cafes that cater to tourists. Plenty of rice down that way (in those days, some 25 years ago).

The Sacto River Delta can sometimes be lovely per wide views, skies, etc. Some of it has just undergone severe flooding. And this time of year, driving can be quite hazardous due to dense tule fog during nights and morning. You can get a sideways look at flooded rice fields from the long causeway overpass between Sactgo and Davis. But appreciating that whole highly productive farm region, much of it below sea level behind levees, requires exploring its many side roads or by boat. There are quite a few old towns, just like Tom just mentioned, as well as some significant wildlife refuges full of waterfowl, including lots of snow geese in season. A few yeas ago I drove one particular road during an impending winter storm too windy for view camera use, but fine for Fuji 6X9 RF handheld use, and I bagged a classic. The Central Valley is our equivalent of the Midwest, but even more agriculturally productive. The seemingly endless vista of almond orchard blooms will start soon.

But no, don't expect rice paddies. It more like huge flat flooded fields. But the area does indeed have its scenic benefits in the right seasons. I don't recommend summer, which does offer its own golden and brown hues, but is also so damn hot after morning that I hesitate to even stop to take a shot. I've crossed the Valley countless times, going between my place here on the coast to my weekend
place in the Sierra foothills, and will never tire of finding new little roads. The best way to get from Point A to B is the slowest route possible.

If you are thinking of the hillside, multi terraced rice paddies endemic in Asian area photos, that is not the Sacramento Valley. It is a valley, flat as a pancake. The rice fields are laser levelled. There is however an abundance of wildlife, especially migratory birds. Also a lot of rather picturesque small rivers and sloughs. Beauty is almost everywhere.

Cheers,
Geary

Yeah I really have no idea what it will be look like. I just now that some rice varieties require flooding almost the entire life and some others don't. That Yolo Bypass seems very interesting.
And I sure don't like to drive in the dense fog.

 

[DREW WILEY]

You might want to do some more homework first. Yolo Bypass is part of a major freeway, so the turnout area will likely be noisy too. But if you do go there, the UC Davis campus is not far away, and their large botanical garden has an amazing collection of large oak trees from all over the world. Someone started that grove long before the campus was there, and that's why many of the trees are so big and photogenic.

There are numerous wildlife refuges to choose from. You aren't likely to see any rice anyway when things are flooded. As far as timing, the tule fog gets dense later in the evening, and then starts clearing around mid-morning. Partial fog provides wonderful soft light; but the dense version can be deadly to drive in.