The San Joaquin River is California’s second-longest river, stretching 330 miles from its headwaters in the Sierra and meandering through the Central Valley’s rich agricultural legacy to its mouth at the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the largest estuary on the west coast of North America. The river irrigates more than one million acres of farmland, supports local economy, and the people, fish, and wildlife that depend on it. Audubon California is proud to be a partner in the San Joaquin River Partnership, a group tasked with creating the San Joaquin River Blueway. The Blueway supports working farms and ranches by encouraging stewardship of a nationally scenic landscape, promoting education of the San Joaquin Valley’s agricultural heritage, and increasing awareness of local foods and crop production. The Partnership published a 29-page color booklet that outlines the vision as a mosaic of parks, wildlife refuges, and other public access areas that create recreational opportunities on land and the river itself.

“The Blueway is about connecting individuals and families to their rich natural and cultural heritage,” said Dave Koehler, Coordinator of the San Joaquin River Partnership. The vision document was developed by the thirteen member non-profit collaborative working with natural resource agencies, and with assistance from the Rivers and Trails program of the National Parks Service.

“Growing up in a South West Fresno community, an escape to the San Joaquin River was always a joy; it’s the place where I developed a love for canoeing, an excitement for the outdoor trails, a passion for mother earth’s beautiful creation – all while being able to share conversations and laughter on the river beds fishing with family,” said Eric Payne, chief of programs for the Center for Multicultural Cooperation in Fresno.

The vision document can be downloaded from the Partnership’s website, www.sanjoaquinriverpartnership.org.

Also, read the press coverage on this project:

In the Central Valley Business Times and the Fresno Bee