Seleniferous soils and groundwaters have been identified in many parts of the Western US. Because studies in the late 1980's indicated that excessive selenium (Se) can bioaccumulate to toxic levels in waterfowl and insect biota, ponds used for temporarily storing agricultural drainage effluent produced from Se-laden soils are potentially toxic sites for the biological ecosystem. The purpose of our multi-year field studies was to utilize plants and sometimes trees to manage Se content in waters, soils, and in drainage sediment by plant extraction and biological volatilization of Se. Field plots (ranging from 0.5 to 40 ha in size) were located in Western San Joaquin Valley of Central California. All sites had either Se-laden soils and/or waters with levels of soluble Se that ranging from 0.13 to 0.50 mg L - 1 that were considered excessive concentrations. Because high levels of salts (6-10 dS m -1 ) and boron (5-10 mg L -1 ) are simultaneously present with Se in soils from the Westside of central California, selected boron (B) and salt tolerant plant species were identified and either planted in the Se -laden soil/sediment and/or used as recipients for the disposal of Se -laden water. For each study, soils were monitored for changes in extractable Se throughout the soil profile and plants were evaluated for the accumulation and volatilization of Se. Our results show that although high levels of soluble sulfate reduced plant accumulation of Se (< 12 mg L -1 DM), volatilization of Se occurred as high as 100 µg m -2 day -1 on a daily basis with canola. Both processes resulted in lower soluble Se in the soil. Canola, salado grass, and poplar trees can be used as biological tools for slowly managing soluble Se in soils and waters, however, monitoring the downward movement of soluble Se is recommended.