| Dos Rios State Park | |
|---|---|
 The pond at Dos Rios State Park | |
 | |
| Location | Stanislaus County, California, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Modesto |
| Coordinates | 37°35′42″N121°8′37″W / 37.59500°N 121.14361°W /37.59500; -121.14361 |
| Area | 1,600 acres (6.5 km2) |
| Established | 2023 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
| www | |
Dos Rios State Park inStanislaus County, California, United States, is about 8 miles (13 km) southwest ofModesto. TheCalifornia state park opened to the public June 12, 2024.[1][2][3] Situated where theSan Joaquin andTuolumne rivers converge, retired farm fields have been planted with native plants like cottonwood,valley oak,milkweed andelderberry bushes which flourished with the initial care they were given.[4] These renewedfloodplains create space for water to spread out again as theberms have been modified to allow floodwater to flow freely across the area.[5]
Dos Rios State Park is in California'sCentral Valley, the home of Native American tribes like theYokuts andPlains and Sierra Miwok. The Central Valley was once filled withwetlands,riparian forests,scrublands, andgrasslands. Due to development, deforestation, and theSwamp Land Act of 1850, little of these habitats remain.[6]
The land Dos Rios sits on became farmland fordairies and almond orchards.[6] In 2009,California State Parks director Ruth Coleman proposed the Dos Rios as a future state park as part of the Central Valley Vision Implementation Plan.[7] Thenonprofit organizations, River Partners and Tuolumne River Trust, were involved in acquiring and restoring the native habitat.[8] Funding from various government programs and other organizations was used to buy the ranch. In 2012, they purchased the Dos Rios Ranch for $21.8 million and the replanting process started.[6] The park is in the midst of the state’s largest floodplain restoration project.[9]
California governorGavin Newsom signed a budget allocating $15 million to the project in 2022, making Dos Rios the 281st California state park.[10] A general plan will be developed that includes the preparation of a programmaticEnvironmental Impact Report.[11]
Native plants in Dos Rios includevalley oak,cottonwood,milkweed,elderberry,dogbane, andvalley sedge.[4][6]
Animals in Dos Rios includeriparian brush rabbits,Chinook salmon,sandhill cranes,Aleutian cackling geese,monarch butterflies, and theleast Bell’s vireo.[10][9]
The park was initially opened only on the weekends. Guided walks and interpreters were offered. The park has picnic tables and opportunities for bird-watching.[8] Three acres (1.2 ha) of Dos Rios State Park are set aside for permanent Native use. This area features native plants that can be gathered by Native Americans without a permit for traditional activities like basket weaving.[6] Professors fromCalifornia State University, Stanislaus have noted the possibilities of utilizing the park with their students.[8]