Water Deeply: Why was this carbon methodology developed?
Basically, if you flood the islands and grow wetland vegetation, these islands could accrete carbon.
It seemed like an opportune time because, in the early ’90s, the state had purchased a couple western Delta islands and wanted to move forward with subsidence reversal.
So we might work with the Department of Water Resources and take that land they already have in wetland production, run it through the methodology and actually get contracts to be able to have emissions reduction credits.
So a farmer could then look at that area and think, “I can actually put this land into a managed wetland and get revenue that isn’t from agricultural production.” Water Deeply: Who would benefit from the greenhouse gas credits produced under this program?
Ingram: It’s whoever actually holds the land and is managing the land.
We would work with landowners to develop the agreements, and market those credits.
Water Deeply: How much carbon can Delta wetlands sequester?
Water Deeply: How does this process work?
So over time, you accreted 1 to 2 millimeters a year during that 6,500 years.