Arboretum Waterway WOW Fund

We invite you to join other community donors in making a gift to our Waterway Reimagined campaign to support the Arboretum Waterway Flood Protection and Habitat Enhancement Project.

After years of input, planning and evaluation, the Arboretum Waterway is on its way to becoming a stunning campus jewel that reflects the environmental expertise of UC Davis, provides critical habitat for wildlife, and offers an amazing resource for student and community engagement.

A successful first phase of the Arboretum Waterway Project, completed in 2018, reintroduced waterflow and replanted native vegetation from the Wyatt Deck bridge to the eastern end of the Arboretum Waterway. More recently, a multi-million dollar grant from the California Natural Resources Agency, coupled with additional deferred maintenance funds from the university, enabled us to complete the waterway restoration from Lake Spafford to the far western end of the Arboretum.

Contractors finished reshaping the channel, building weirs and installing circulation pumps in fall 2024, nearly a year ahead of schedule. The work of staff, students, volunteers and community partners to plant the banks and establish new riparian habitat is in progress.

All along the way, community donors and partners have helped make this project possible. While grant and university funds have supported the infrastructure improvements, your gift to the spring Waterway Reimagined community fundraising campaign will help us fund other important aspects of the project, especially support for our Learning by Leading internship program where students gain experience managing and enhancing the waterway ecosystem and work on other environmental projects throughout the Arboretum and Public Garden.

You can give right now using the DONATE button above. Gifts of any size are appreciated! For information on larger naming opportunities associated with the Arboretum Waterway project, please contact us.

Your gift will help make our community’s vision for the Arboretum Waterway a reality and sustain it into the future. Thank you!