How Nature Quickly Returns After Levee Construction

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

07.07.2025

Video by John Prettyman  

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District

After levee construction, nature returns faster than you might think. In just a few years, native trees and plants thrive again—thanks to strategic planting by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state and local partners. As Sacramento-area levees receive much-needed upgrades, this video shows that flood risk reduction and habitat restoration go hand in hand. Learn more: https://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Sacramento-Levee-Upgrades/Mitigation/

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Sources & Credits:
This video uses a variety of imagery sources to show how quickly nature returns after construction:

Satellite imagery courtesy of Google Earth Pro, showing revegetation at the Lower American River near the Guy West Bridge, Sacramento, California (Lat: 38.562909°, Lon: -121.421626°):
- April 30, 2002 – early post-construction condition
- July 17, 2006 – vegetation beginning to establish
- April 6, 2010 – mature riparian vegetation fully re-established

Progression photos from Lower American River Site 4 (Years 1, 4, and 9):
- May 21, 2001 – newly completed erosion protection
- June 24, 2005 – early vegetation establishment
- July 15, 2010 – thriving riparian corridor

Aerial video of Lower American River Contract 2, captured December 21, 2023, between the J Street Bridge and Howe Avenue, Sacramento, California:
- Shows completed erosion protection and early-stage revegetation
- Includes 3D visualizations of projected vegetation growth overlaid onto real aerial footage (produced in Blender by John Prettyman for illustrative purposes only)
- The site will be irrigated, maintained, and monitored for performance

• Date Taken: 07.07.2025
• Date Posted: 07.07.2025 19:45
• Category: Video Productions
• Video ID: 969255
• VIRIN: 250707-A-AN535-1002
• Filename: DOD_111135113
• Length: 00:01:14
• Location: SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, US