A national wildlife refuge near Elk Grove, Calif., is part of a
far-reaching effort to assess water and soil conditions in some
of the nation's most vulnerable ecosystems. Stone Lakes National
Wildlife Refuge is among the more than 1,000 areas being studied
that could help shape protection efforts of wetlands and aquatic
resources. Up to 95 percent of the nation's wetlands have been
wiped out or modified, said Jonathan Bishop, chief deputy
director of the State Water Resources Control Board, one of the
partners of the survey. Nutrient-rich and easy-to-till wetlands
were historically seen as good farmland, but many of the areas
have been damaged or transformed by development. Read the full
story at sacbee.com.