, ▁especially ▁from ▁fert il izers , ▁they ▁are ▁important ▁to ▁maintain ing ▁good ▁water ▁quality ▁in ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River . ▁W et lands ▁pres ervation ▁group ▁D uck s ▁Un limited ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁$ 1 ▁million ▁grant ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁W et lands ▁Conserv ation ▁Act ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁conduct ▁rest oration ▁work ▁on ▁ ▁of ▁sw amps ▁and ▁mar sh es ▁throughout ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley . ▁ ▁The ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River ▁was ▁last ▁connected ▁to ▁the ▁ocean ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁By ▁re connect ing , ▁it ▁means ▁the ▁portion ▁from ▁Fri ant ▁Dam ▁to ▁where ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River ▁joins ▁the ▁Mer ced ▁river ▁above ▁Vern alis . ▁ ▁This ▁may ▁happen ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁or ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁W aters hed ▁At ▁, ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River ▁waters hed ▁proper ▁dra ins ▁a ▁fair ▁sw ath ▁of ▁in land ▁central ▁California , ▁an ▁area ▁compar able ▁to ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁Upper ▁Pen ins ula ▁of ▁Michigan . ▁If ▁combined ▁with ▁the ▁ ▁Tul are ▁Bas in , ▁which ▁histor ically ▁( and ▁still ▁rarely ) ▁experiences ▁nor ther ly ▁out flow ▁to ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River , ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁largest ▁single ▁d rain age ▁bas in ▁entirely ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁The ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River ▁bas in ▁is ▁roughly