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Title	Delta Wetland Resilience and Blue Carbon
Lead	San Francisco Estuary Institute [SFEI]
Description	This project estimates carbon storage for the past, present and future Delta, as well as GHG fluxes and elevation change based on chosen restoration and rice farming scenarios in the future Delta using the Delta Landscape Scenario Planning Tool. The project also investigates how well the current organic matter parameterizations and inorganic sediment parameterization in the Marsh Equilibrium Model (MEM) represent Delta marsh accretion processes. Knowledge of marsh accretion and migration will be used to develop a spatial conceptual model of marsh resilience in the Delta.
Science topics	Carbon, Greenhouse gas GHG, Resilience, Sea level rise, Subsidence, Wetlands
Updated	June 14, 2024

Title	Next Generation Multi-Hazard Levee Risk Assessment
Lead	University of California - Los Angeles [UCLA]
Description	In June 2004, a 350-foot levee section gave way west of Stockton, flooding crops and more than a dozen homes, and challenging state officials to protect the state's water supply. What is the risk of that happening again somewhere in the Delta? In light of agricultural fields sinking, the sea level rising, more frequent and severe floods occurring, and earthquakes looming, improvements are estimated to cost $3.8 - $4.3 billion over the next few decades. This study combines 3-D representations with information on the levee’s structure to analyze how different levees respond to floods, sea level rise, and earthquakes. State officials released the last Delta Risk Management Strategy a decade ago. Since then, scientists have collected significant amounts of data and have developed new procedures to compute the risk of failure. This work will produce new Delta-wide data sets important for characterizing the hazards coming from floods and earthquakes. It will also develop the best method to conduct levee hazard assessments. Applying this new method will ensure wise investments and effective threat mitigation Delta-wide.
Science topics	None specified
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Tidal Wetland Restoration in the Bay-Delta Region: Developing Tools to Measure Carbon Sequestration, Subsidence Reversal, and Climate Resiliance 2021
Lead	California State University [CSU]
Description	Tidal marshes are important ecosystems in the San Francisco-Bay Delta. They remove carbon from the atmosphere, build up soils that buffer our communities from sea level rise, mitigate excessive nutrients (like nitrogen), and provide critical habitat and food resources for a diversity of species. It is difficult to predict how tidal marshes change naturally over time versus as a response to climate change, restoration and water quality changes. This project provides the first ever multi-year dataset of the complete carbon budget of a tidal marsh. This dataset will be used to predict seasonal and annual carbon budgets in tidal marshes over a range of salinities. The model will assess the sustainability of existing and potential restored tidal wetland benefits over the next 100 years using remote sensing data. The model will be an open-source tool designed for use by wetland managers and decision makers in the Bay-Delta region. This project supports ongoing initiatives to restore tidal wetlands in the Delta and our ability to manage them in a changing world.
Science topics	None specified
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	San Francisco Bay Joint Venture
Lead	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS]
Description	The San Francisco Bay Joint Venture (SFBJV) brings together over one hundred environmental organizations, governmental agencies, landowners, and the business community to achieve a common goal and vision: protect, restore and enhance wetlands throughout the nine Bay Area counties, for the benefit of wildlife and people. The San Francisco Bay Joint Venture (SFBJV) is one of twenty-two habitat-based Migratory Bird Joint Ventures (JV) that cover nearly all of the U.S. and Canada and much of Mexico. The SFBJV coordinates strategic habitat conservation throughout the nine San Francisco (SF) Bay Area counties in accordance with the SFBJV Implementation Plan. SFBJV partners work to protect, restore and enhance habitats through project implementation and by advancing related science, policy and communication priorities. The Joint Venture program provides opportunities to develop and deliver creative solutions to our current conservation challenges through the power of collaboration and partnership. The SFBJV is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and grants from other partners and programs.
Science topics	Hunting, Agriculture, Urban development, Recreation & tourism, Surface water / flow, Flood, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Floating aquatic vegetation, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Gulls, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Non-resident / overwintering birds
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey
Lead	Point Blue Conservation Science
Description	PFSS is a coordinated multi-partner monitoring program led by Point Blue Conservation Science designed to guide the management and conservation of wintering shorebirds in the Pacific Flyway. The PFSS contributes data to the Migratory Shorebird Project, the largest coordinated survey of wintering shorebirds on the Pacific Coast of the Americas spanning 10 countries from Canada to Peru.
Science topics	Hunting, Flood, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Sloughs, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Floating aquatic vegetation, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Shorebirds, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Non-resident / overwintering birds
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Central Valley Project
Lead	U.S. Bureau of Reclamation [USBR]
Description	The CVP is one of the largest water storage and transport systems in the world, comprised of 20 reservoirs and more than 500 miles of canals. This project provides water used to irrigate more than 3 million acres of agricultural land and has a total reservoir storage of 11,363,000 acre-feet.
Science topics	Water operations / exports, Water storage, Water conveyance / infrastructure, Surface water / flow, Stage, Flood
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	State Water Project
Lead	California Department of Water Resource [DWR]
Description	The California State Water Project (SWP) is a water storage and delivery system of reservoirs, aqueducts, power plants and pumping plants extending more than 700 miles - two-thirds the length of California. Planned, constructed, and operated by the Department of Water Resources, the SWP is the nation's largest state-built, multi-purpose, user-financed water project. It supplies water to more than 27 million people in northern California, the Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast and southern California. SWP water also irrigates about 750,000 acres of farmland, mainly in the San Joaquin Valley.
Science topics	Water operations / exports, Water storage, Water conveyance / infrastructure, Surface water / flow, Stage, Main channels, Habitat
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Endangered Species Project
Lead	California Department of Pesticide Regulation [DPR]
Description	In California, DPR has been studying endangered species protection issues with federal funding since 1988. DPR activities include mapping sites occupied by federally listed species, evaluating pesticide exposure risks to inhabited sites, classifying risk and developing protection strategies to minimize risk as needed. There are currently 359 federally listed species in California including federally protected endangered and threatened species, proposed endangered, proposed threatened and Category 1 candidate species (that await only administrative processes to become protected species). Collectively, the federally listed species may occupy about 16 million acres, or about 16 percent of the land area of the state, albeit at very low densities. Of all federally listed species in California, the San Joaquin kit fox has by far the greatest overlap with agricultural areas, accounting for about 10 million acres in 14 counties, mostly in the agriculturally rich southern San Joaquin Valley. Other species that are interspersed with agricultural areas include birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans and many plants.
Science topics	Agriculture, Urban development, Insecticides, Rodenticides, Herbicides, Fungicides, Chinook Salmon, Delta Smelt, Benthos, Shorebirds, Giant garter snake, California tiger salamander, Insects, Other species, Fish, Mammals, Birds, Amphibians and reptiles
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	San Francisco Bay Bathymetry
Lead	U.S. Geological Survey [USGS]
Description	USGS has conducted bathymetric analyses in San Francisco Bay, Suisun Bay, and the Delta intermittently since 1867 based on bathymetry data primarily collected by NOAA"s National Ocean Service (NOS) (formerly the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey (USCGS)). Since the days of hydraulic gold mining, sedimentation in San Francisco Bay has changed drastically. From the 1850's until at least the late 1800's, debris from hydraulic mining in the Sierra Nevada filled the Bay. As hydraulic mining practices ceased, the amount of sediment deposited decreased. In the latter half of the 20th century an increase in the implementation of flood control and water distribution projects in the Central Valley caused the Bay to be erosional due to the reduction of the frequency and duration of peak flow conditions, which in turn decreased sediment supply to the Bay. They have used this information to locate deposits of sediment-associated contaminants, restore wetland areas, and to provide the observable linkage between anthropogenic modifications of the landscapeâ€”such as evolving land use practices, flood control, and water diversionsâ€”and natural forces of climate-driven river flow, sea level change, tides, and wind. In 1999, USGS assessed how sedimentation in the Suisun Bay has changed between 1867 and 1990 (see info sources). They have also worked collaboratively with DWR, using their more recent bathymetry data to produce a high-resolution DEM of the Delta region (see info sources). It is not clear whether USGS will continue their bathymetry surveys. The latest survey is from 2005, and took place in the South of San Francisco Bay (outside the Delta study area).
Science topics	Flood, Land elevation, Bedload, Deposition, Erosion, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Highway Performance Monitoring System [HPMS]
Lead	California Department of Transportation [Caltrans]
Description	HPMS is a national highway information system that includes data on the extent, condition, performance, use, and operating characteristics of the Nation's highways. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and completeness of the data, users should carefully evaluate its accuracy, currency, completeness, and relevance for their purposes. In 2014, a Linear Referencing System (LRS), which links the HPMS attributes to geospatial data for all public roads, was created to meet the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)â€™s All Road Network of Linear Referenced Data (ARNOLD) requirement. Caltrans monitors and collects GIS information about highways including traffic volumes, truck volume, bridges, HOV lanes, vistas, rest areas, bottlenecks, express lanes, park and ride lots, etc.
Science topics	Urban development, Roads and bridges, Rail lines, Vessels and shipping channels
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	National Water Level Observation Network [NWLON]
Lead	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]
Description	NOAAâ€™s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) maintains the National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON), an observation network with more than 200 permanent water level stations on the coasts and Great Lakes. CO-OPS maintains three core observation and one modeling system. The National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) is the foundation of the comprehensive system for observing, communicating, and assessing the impact of changing water levels nationwide. This system allows NOAA to provide the official tidal predictions for the nation. Accurate water level data is critical for safe and efficient marine navigation and for the protection of infrastructure along the coast. The NWLON also provides the national standards for tide and water level reference datums used for nautical charting, coastal engineering, international treaty regulation, and boundary determination. The NWLON is also widely recognized as the key federal component of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).
Science topics	Stage, Tides, Waves, Flood, Sea level rise
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Local Maintaining Agency Annual Reporting
Lead	California Department of Water Resource [DWR]
Description	Additions to the Water Code include requirements for local levee maintaining agencies (Local Agencies) to submit to DWR, by September 30 each year, specific information relative to the Project Levees they operate and maintain. Local Agencies who maintain either (1) Project Levees or (2) Non-Project Levees that also benefit land within the boundaries of an area benefited by a Project Levee, are required to submit five categories of information annually. A Local Agency responsible for operation and maintenance of a levee not otherwise subject to these requirements may voluntarily prepare and submit to DWR or the CVFPB a flood management report for website posting The Flood Project Integrity and Inspection Branch (FPIIB) produces annual inspection reports using summarized levee data acquired through the Local Maintaining Agency Reporting Program.
Science topics	Levees, Stage, Tides, Flood
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Levee Waterside Erosion Surveys
Lead	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [USACE]
Description	The USACE, with DWR sponsorship, has contracted for waterside erosion surveys of the Sacramento River system since 1998. As stated earlier, FPIIB began conducting waterside erosion surveys of the San Joaquin River portion of the State-Federal flood protection system Project levees in September of 2006. The primary purpose of these surveys is to: a) inspect the waterside levees for erosion activity, b) document and report new erosion sites, c) document and report the current condition of previously identified erosion sites, and d) rank and rate the severity of erosion sites based upon the findings from the field survey. The USACE and its contractors generate the report on erosion found in the Sacramento River system;FPIIB staff supplements their inspection reports with the USACE data as it becomes available.
Science topics	Water conveyance / infrastructure, Levees, Stage, Tides, Flood
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Telemetered Stream Gauge Stations [Surface Water Monitoring]
Lead	U.S. Bureau of Reclamation [USBR]
Description	A network of stream gauges record and telemeter river stage information. Flow measurements by field crews help calibrate and confirm calculations. Data from stream gage telemetry requires careful consideration as field conditions and equipment malfunctions can provide erroneous readings. A more accurate assessment of actual flow rates requires a review of the flow record and processing to account for actual conditions.
Science topics	Water operations / exports, Water conveyance / infrastructure, Surface water / flow, Stage, Flood, Main channels, Sloughs
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Nutria Eradication Program
Lead	California Department of Fish and Wildlife [CDFW]
Description	CDFW implemented the Nutria Eradication Incident Command System in 2018 to detect, assess, control and eradicate invasive nutria in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta. The program includes rights of entry, camera traps, trapping and removal of 823 (to date) nutria.
Science topics	Levees, Sloughs, Backwater, Managed ponds, Nutria, Environmental drivers, Socio-economic drivers
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery
Lead	East Bay Municipal Utilities District
Description	The Mokelumne River supports Central Valley fall-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) (fall-run), which is the only salmon run known to naturally occur in this waterway (Clark 1929). Fall-run are listed as a Species of Concern under the federal Endangered Species Act (NMFS 2004). Camanche Dam, which impounds Camanche Reservoir is the upper limit of anadromous fish migration in the Mokelumne River. East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) initiated construction of Camanche Reservoir in 1963. As mitigation for blocking access to spawning grounds for salmonids, EBMUD provided funding for the original construction of the MOK in 1964.The MOK is located on the south bank of the Mokelumne River at the base of Camanche Dam. While EBMUD provides funding for fall-run production, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) administers and operates the hatchery. The Commercial Salmon Stamp Fund provided funding for an additional MOK building built in 2002 and continues to financially support the MOK. On an annual basis the MOK produces fall-run for mitigation (Mitigation Element) and for ocean salmon enhancement (Ocean Enhancement Element). The annual MOK production goal is 6,400,000 fall-run smolts (3,400,000 for Mitigation Element and 3,000,000 for Ocean Enhancement Element). The hatchery operations are involved with tagging and monitoring fish to assess the success of the hatchery program.
Science topics	Surface water / flow, Salinity, Water temperature, Dissolved oxygen, pH, Main channels, Chinook Salmon, Steelhead Trout
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Classification and Assessment with Landsat of Visible Ecological Groupings [CALVEG]
Lead	U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA]
Description	CALVEG is a USDA Forest Service product providing a comprehensive spatial dataset of existing vegetation cover over California. The data were created using a combination of automated systematic procedures, remote sensing classification, photo editing, field based observations. The Pacific Southwest Region (R5) Information Management staff is responsible for producing comprehensive spatial and tabular databases for existing vegetation, in addition to other duties. A mapping methodology has been developed to capture vegetation characteristics using automated, systematic procedures that efficiently and cost-effectively map large areas of the state with minimal bias and is supplemented with onsite field visits when appropriate. Map attributes consist of vegetation types using the CALVEG classification system and forest structural characteristics such as tree and shrub canopy cover and tree stem diameters. Data collected and managed by Forest Service programs is available in a map service and two downloadable file formats - in a shape file and an ESRI file geodatabase. Metadata is available that describes the content, source, and currency of the data. You can filter the list by the topic categories in the menu at the left to help you find information you are interested in. You can view the feature classes in a single dataset by clicking on the name of the parent dataset at the bottom of the abstract.
Science topics	Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Habitat
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	National Wetland Condition Assessment [NWCA]
Lead	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA]
Description	The National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) is a statistical survey that begins to address some of the gaps in our understanding of wetland health by providing information on the ecological condition of the nationâ€™s wetlands and stressors most commonly associated with poor condition. The NWCA is designed to answer basic questions about the extent to which our nationâ€™s wetlands support healthy ecological conditions and the prevalence of key stressors at the national and regional scale. It is intended to complement and build upon the achievements of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wetland Status and Trends Program, which characterizes changes in wetland acreage across the conterminous United States. Paired together, these two efforts provide government agencies, wetland scientists, and the public with comparable, scientifically-defensible information documenting the current status and, ultimately, trends in both wetland quantity (i.e., area) and quality (i.e., ecological condition).
Science topics	Fishing, Surface water / flow, Groundwater, Tides, Flood, Drought, Nitrogen / ammonia, Phosphorous, Chlorophyll A / B, Harmful algal blooms HAB, Phytoplankton, Other zooplankton, Suspended sediment, Chemistry, Toxicity, Salinity, Dissolved oxygen, pH, Turbidity, Hg and methyl mercury, Other discharge contaminants, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Floating aquatic vegetation, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Pelagic fish, Benthos, Insects, Mollusks, Crustaceans, Conductivity, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Other species, Fish, Invertebrates, Fecal coliform / E. coli
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Moderate resolution imaging spectro radiometer MODIS
Lead	National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]
Description	MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a key instrument aboard the Terra (originally known as EOS AM-1) and Aqua (originally known as EOS PM-1) satellites. Terra's orbit around the Earth is timed so that it passes from north to south across the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon. Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS are viewing the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths (see MODIS Technical Specifications). These data will improve our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the oceans, and in the lower atmosphere. MODIS is playing a vital role in the development of validated, global, interactive Earth system models able to predict global change accurately enough to assist policy makers in making sound decisions concerning the protection of our environment.
Science topics	Water operations / exports, Water storage, Water conveyance / infrastructure, Forest harvesting, Agriculture, Urban development, Recreation & tourism, Surface water / flow, Direction, Tides, Residence time, Waves, Flood, Drought, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Floating aquatic vegetation, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Energy and mines, Water use / demand
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Landsat Science Program
Lead	Goddard Space Flight Center
Description	Multispectral earth imaging satellite acquires data for earth observation. Numerous applications and extensive history of success with environmental and land use programs.
Science topics	Levees, Dredging, Forest harvesting, Agriculture, Urban development, Roads and bridges, Rail lines, Docks and ports, Surface water / flow, Groundwater, Stage, Direction, Tides, Residence time, Waves, Flood, Drought, Wildfire, Harmful algal blooms HAB, Phytoplankton, Suspended sediment, Turbidity, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Floating aquatic vegetation, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Energy and mines, Snowpack / snow water equivalent SWE
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Sentinel Satellite
Lead	European Space Agency
Description	Earth observation using multispectral imagery from satellites. Especially suitable for monitoring changes in land cover.
Science topics	Levees, Dredging, Forest harvesting, Agriculture, Urban development, Recreation & tourism, Surface water / flow, Groundwater, Stage, Velocity, Direction, Tides, Residence time, Waves, Flood, Drought, Land elevation, Subsidence, Sea level rise, Seismicity, Wildfire, Air temperature, Precipitation, Wind, Extreme heat, Extreme storms, Suspended sediment, Water temperature, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Floating aquatic vegetation, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Energy and mines, Snowpack / snow water equivalent SWE, Water intakes, fish screens & passage
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	WorldView-3
Lead	DigitalGlobe
Description	Provides commercial satellite services. Multiple satellites continuously collecting multispectral imagery throughout the globe. Available for download and processing by end users.
Science topics	Levees, Forest harvesting, Agriculture, Urban development, Recreation & tourism, Roads and bridges, Rail lines, Docks and ports, Surface water / flow, Stage, Direction, Tides, Residence time, Flood, Drought, Land elevation, Subsidence, Sea level rise, Seismicity, Wildfire, Suspended sediment, Erosion, Turbidity, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Floating aquatic vegetation, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Energy and mines, Snowpack / snow water equivalent SWE, Vessels and shipping channels
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	California Aquatic Resource Inventory [CARI]
Lead	San Francisco Estuary Institute [SFEI]
Description	The California Aquatic Resource Inventory is a standardized statewide map of surface waters and related habitat types, including wetlands, rivers, streams, lakes, and their riparian areas. The CARI v0 dataset includes: the National Wetland Inventory (NWI, last updated in 2010) of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD, high resolution dataset at 1:2400 scale, last updated in 1999) of the US Geological Survey, three regional datasets developed by SFEI's GIS team using CARI's standardized, and more detailed, mapping protocols and used to demonstrate the WRAMP framework. Links to more information about these mapping efforts are listed below under "Subprojects" (below). San Francisco Bay Area Aquatic Resources Inventory (BAARI)- 2011 Lake Tahoe Basin (TARIv2.1) - 2016 Laguna de Santa Rosa Plain (near Santa Rosa ,CA. NCARI) - 2013, and Six County Aquatic Resources Inventory (including Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Yuba, and Sutter Counties, California) developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (Sacramento District) through federal funding - 2010. For more information contact ecoatlas@sfei.org
Science topics	Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Saltwater / freshwater marshes
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Multibeam Delta Bathymetry Surveys
Lead	California Department of Water Resource [DWR]
Description	The California Department of Water Resources (CA-DWR), North Central Region Office (NCRO), Bathymetry and Technical Support Section has conducted bathymetry surveys in the Delta since 2011 (according to the Bathymetry Catalog). Data have been used to support planning for the installation of behavioural fish barriers, to assess the riverâ€™s channel capacity and ability to convey flows, to assess water quality dynamics, to better understand the areaâ€™s risk of flooding and to improve the quality of flood hazard data and maps available to local communities (under the DWRâ€™s FloodSAFE California Initiative), to improve knowledge of sediment presence and movement, to provide high-resolution bathymetry data for hydraulic models, to assess the placement of a drought barrier, to determine how the channel bottom is evolving due to the installation of an emergency drought barrier, and to determine the effects of fish passage projects.
Science topics	Flood, Land elevation, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	State Park System Statistics Monitoring
Lead	California Department of Parks and Recreation [PARKS]
Description	California monitors number of "use-days" by individual parks Statewide. Each year the Department publishes California State Park System Statistical Report, which contains data that collectively describe and measure the California State Park System. This data covers the most recent fiscal year, July 1 through June 30. This annual report provides information on the system as it existed and was operated during that 12-month period. Among this data are the identity of the system's official set of classified units and major unclassified properties, their acreage, their visitor attendance, the number of selected visitor use facilities, the revenues generated by the system, the system's operating costs, and levels of staffing used to maintain the system. In addition, as of the 2014-15 Statistical Report, the publication now includes Park Unit Costing information, which offers an increased level of fiscal information that allows for a greater understanding of how the Departmental funding is allocated amongst the various state park units in support of the State Park's System.
Science topics	Recreation & tourism, Environmental drivers, Socio-economic drivers
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Yolo Bypass Fish Monitoring
Lead	California Department of Water Resource [DWR]
Description	California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has operated a fisheries monitoring program in the Yolo Bypass, a seasonal floodplain and tidal slough, since 1998. The objectives of the Yolo Bypass Fish Monitoring Program (YBFMP) are to: (1) collect baseline data on lower trophic levels (phytoplankton, zooplankton, and aquatic insects), juvenile fish and adult fish, hydrology, and water quality parameters;(2) investigation of the temporal and seasonal patterns in chlorophyll-a concentrations, including whether high concentrations are exported from the Bypass during agricultural and natural flow events and the possibility of manipulating bypass flows to benefit listed species like Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) and Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). The YBFMP operates a rotary screw trap and fyke trap, and conducts biweekly beach seine and lower trophic surveys in addition to maintaining water quality instrumentation in the bypass. The YBFMP serves to fill information gaps regarding environmental conditions in the bypass that trigger migrations and enhanced survival and growth of native fishes, as well as provide data for IEP synthesis efforts.
Science topics	Chinook Salmon, Chlorophyll A / B, Conductivity, Delta Smelt, Direction, Dissolved oxygen, Endangered species, Fish, Flood, Food webs, Green sturgeon, Habitat, Habitat restoration, Insects, Intertidal / transition zones, Invasive / non native species, Invertebrates, Longfin Smelt, Main channels, Nitrogen, Nitrogen / ammonia, Nutrients, Other species, Other zooplankton, Pelagic fish, pH, Phytoplankton, Primary production, Sacramento Splittail, Salmon migration, Salmon rearing, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, SAV/FAV, Seasonally flooded, Solar irradiance, Stage, Steelhead Trout, Striped bass, Sturgeon, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Surface water / flow, Tides, Turbidity, Velocity, Water, Water temperature, Wetlands, White Sturgeon, Zooplankton
Updated	August 28, 2024

Title	California Boat Registration
Lead	California Department of Parks and Recreation [PARKS]
Description	The California Department of Boating and Waterways reports the number of vessels registered by county and year.
Science topics	Recreation & tourism, Environmental drivers, Vessels and shipping channels
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program [VegCAMP]
Lead	California Department of Fish and Wildlife [CDFW]
Description	VegCAMP focuses on developing and maintaining maps and classifying all vegetation and habitats in the state to support conservation and management decisions at the local, regional, and state levels. The principal roles of the program include: Developing and maintaining a standardized vegetation classification system for California;Implementing and updating best methods of vegetation assessment including sampling, analyzing, reporting, and mapping vegetation at multiple scales;Training resource professionals on these methods and coordinating with other agencies and organizations to ensure a statewide, standardized approach toward collecting, reporting, and interpreting vegetation data;Developing best practices for using these data for long-range conservation and management of natural lands in the state;Conducting integrated vegetation assessments throughout the state in areas with high conservation and management interest to the Department of Fish and Wildlife and other agencies;Archiving and distributing vegetation data;Coordinating with other state, federal, and local agencies and organizations involved in vegetation assessment;Integrating standard vegetation classification systems with species distributions to encourage unified habitat assessments and conservation efforts. Long-range goals of the program include: Completing and maintaining a statewide SCV-compliant classification and map in collaboration with other agencies and organizations;Developing and updating the most appropriate vegetation products for conservation planning and natural resources management within the state;Integrating the program with similar ones from other states and countries to facilitate national and international conservation and management of natural resources.
Science topics	Forest harvesting, Agriculture, Urban development, Wildfire, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Habitat
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Sacramento District Water Control Data System [WCDS]
Lead	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [USACE]
Description	The Sacramento District's Water Control Data System (WCDS) collects data necessary for the management of Corps Reservoirs and Flood Control Space in Non-Corps Reservoirs (i.e.,"Section 7" projects)
Science topics	Water operations / exports, Water storage, Water conveyance / infrastructure, Wastewater discharge, Surface water / flow, Stage, Flood, Air temperature, Precipitation, Wind, Main channels, Sloughs, Environmental drivers, Snowpack / snow water equivalent SWE, Water use / demand
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Continuous Monitoring of Water Quality & Suspended-Sediment Transport [Bay-Delta]
Lead	U.S. Geological Survey [USGS]
Description	Our group at the USGS continuously monitors suspended-sediment concentration (SSC), turbidity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, and water level at many sites throughout the San Francisco Bay (Bay) and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers Delta (Delta). Our work began in 1988 to explore the spatial and temporal variability of water quality and sediment transport and to provide decision makers, resource managers, and the public with the most up-to-date knowledge. Topics we study include water quality, sediment transport, water clarity, erosion and deposition, sediment-associated contaminants and habitat quality, wetland restoration, and sea level rise.
Science topics	Water operations / exports, Water storage, Water conveyance / infrastructure, Surface water / flow, Stage, Velocity, Suspended sediment, Bedload, Deposition, Erosion, Chemistry, Toxicity, Salinity, Water temperature, Dissolved oxygen, Turbidity, Other discharge contaminants, Intertidal / transition zones, Main channels, Sloughs, Open water, Riparian wildlife, Conductivity, Water use / demand, Water intakes, fish screens & passage
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Farmland Mapping & Monitoring Program [FMMP]
Lead	U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA]
Description	The Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP) produces maps and statistical data used for analyzing impacts on California's agricultural resources. Agricultural land is rated according to soil quality and irrigation status;the best quality land is called Prime Farmland. The maps are updated every two years with the use of a computer mapping system, aerial imagery, public review, and field reconnaissance.
Science topics	Agriculture, Urban development, Non-forested vegetation, Environmental drivers, Habitat
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Statewide Crop Mapping
Lead	Land IQ
Description	Agricultural lands are mapped in the state of California each year, beginning in 2014. In 2014, DWR contracted LandIQ to undertake a comprehensive mapping project for the the state of California. Field-scale assessment of agricultural land use and urban/managed wetland boundaries were determined, and these 2014 data are publicly available on the DWR Land User Viewer interactive map. Following this 2014 work, LanIQ was subsequrntly contracted to continue mapping in and around the state of California, focused on mapping agricultural lands only (2014-ongoing). Aerial imagery provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) was collected throughout the summer of 2014 by the USDA and used for field delineation, classification and QA/QC of the final product. Multiple Landsat 8 images were used for the initial crop classification. Imagery from the Landsat 8 satellite is free and available every 16 days and provided for temporal analysis throughout the growing season. Ground truth data were collected during the 2014 growing season prior to the initiation of this project. These data were used for training and validation of the mapping analysis. Field data from over 15% of all irrigated land in the Central Valley was collected. 25% of the ground truth data were set aside for independent validation. Analysis in areas that lacked ground truth data was performed using imagery and classification approaches established in areas that were informed by training data. (https://gis.water.ca.gov/app/CADWRLandUseViewer/images/i15_Crop_Mapping_2014_Final_Meta.pdf) (https://gis.water.ca.gov/app/CADWRLandUseViewer/)
Science topics	Agriculture, Urban development, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Managed ponds, Saltwater / freshwater marshes
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Stormwater Multiple Application and Report Tracking System [SMARTS]
Lead	California State Water Resources Control Board [SWRCB]
Description	SMARTS provides a platform where dischargers, regulators, and the public can enter, manage, and view storm water data including permit registration documents, compliance, and monitoring data associated with California's Storm Water General Permits. SMARTS is compliant with the EPA's Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR) which sets requirements for electronic reporting of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit and report submittals. The Storm Water Multiple Application and Report Tracking System more commonly referred to as SMARTS is the Water Boardâ€™s online database. The Industrial General Permit requires all documents related to Storm Water to be certified and submitted electronically on the website. These documents can include a siteâ€™s Notice of Intent (NOI) or No Exposure Certification (NEC) application, Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), Storm Water Sample Results, or Annual Reports. SMARTS has three types of user roles: Legally Responsible Persons (LRPs), Duly Authorized Representatives (DARs), and Data Entry Persons (DEPs). Each Facility is required to have an LRP account on SMARTS in order to apply for either NOI or NEC coverage under the IGP. That LRP has the option to link additional users to the account. For example, Frog Environmental can be linked to SMARTS as a Data Entry Person. As your DEP, Frog Environmental can assist with uploading and properly preparing documents that are required to be on SMARTS. Although we can help with the data entry, all documents are required to certified and submitted by either the LRP or the DAR that is linked to the facilityâ€™s SMARTS account. We also assist with the certification process by sending step by step instructions and answering any questions you may have regarding SMARTS.
Science topics	Wastewater discharge, Urban development, Salinity, Water temperature, Dissolved oxygen, pH, Turbidity, Hg and methyl mercury, Polychlorinated biphenyl PCB, Hydrocarbons / polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAH, Flame retardants, Endocrine disruptors, Lead, Cadmium, Copper, Zinc, Arsenic, Selenium, Constituent of emerging concern CEC, Insecticides, Rodenticides, Herbicides, Fungicides, Microplastics, Nitrogen / ammonia, Other discharge contaminants, Stormwater runoff / drainage, Fecal coliform / E. coli
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	National Wetlands Inventory
Lead	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS]
Description	"The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) was established by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to conduct a nationwide inventory of U.S. wetlands to provide biologists and others with information on the distribution and type of wetlands to aid in conservation efforts. This is done through the use of a wetland classification system, and the development of techniques for mapping and recording data. This dataset represents the extent, approximate location and type of wetlands and deepwater habitats in California." See: https://www.fws.gov/wetlands/nwi/Overview.html
Science topics	Surface water / flow, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Saltwater / freshwater marshes
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Seismic Hazards Program
Lead	California Department of Conservation [DOC]
Description	The Seismic Hazards Program delineates areas prone to ground failure and other earthquake-related hazards including soil liquefaction (the failure of water-saturated soil), earthquake-induced landslides, surface fault rupture, and tsunami inundation. Cities and counties are required to use these maps in their land-use planning and building permit processes so that these hazards are identified and mitigated for development projects prior to the next major earthquake. Additionally, the program reviews and provides comments on geologic and seismic hazards that apply directly to the design and construction of essential and critical facilities around the state. These facilities include schools, hospitals, nuclear power plants, hazardous waste repositories, and others, typically under contract to other state agencies. The program compiles information about past earthquakes, the potential for earthquakes on major faults, and rates of deformation across California to estimate the potential for future earthquakes. The Seismic Hazards Program works closely with the U.S. Geological Survey to produce earthquake shaking maps that are used in development of building codes and in earthquake damage and loss estimates.
Science topics	Agriculture, Urban development, Land elevation, Subsidence, Sea level rise, Seismicity, Suspended sediment, Bedload, Deposition, Erosion, Chemistry, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Energy Almanac
Lead	California Energy Commission [CEC]
Description	The Energy Almanac tracks and reports the location and size of power plants, where transmission lines are, as well as where electrical demands or transmission bottlenecks occur. The Almanac also reports 10- year trends in energy demand and supply, and to some extent predicts where additional facilities will be needed. The data reported in the Energy Almanac comes from surveys performed by the California Energy Commission, as well as other sources.
Science topics	Environmental drivers, Energy and mines
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Mineral Resources Program
Lead	California Department of Conservation [DOC]
Description	Mineral Resources Program provides data about California's varied non-fuel mineral resources (such as metals and industrial minerals), naturally occurring mineral hazards (such as asbestos, radon, and mercury), and information about active and historic mining activities throughout the state. Program reports and maps are shared with governmental agencies, universities, repository libraries and are available for purchase from CGS. Older reports are available in paper;some newer reports are available in paper and digital formats compatible with commonly used Geographic Information System (GIS) software. The program is divided into two projects: the Mineral Resources Project and the Mineral Hazards Project;The "Mineral Hazards Project" provides maps, technical information and advice, and monitors activities about minerals-related environmental and public health issues such as naturally occurring heavy metals, asbestos, mercury and radon;The "Mineral Resources Project" provides objective geologic expertise and information about California's diverse non-fuel mineral resources. Non-fuel mineral resources fall into three categories: metals, industrial minerals and construction aggregate.
Science topics	Suspended sediment, Deposition, Erosion, Chemistry, Toxicity, Hg and methyl mercury, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Environmental drivers, Energy and mines
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	National Strong Motion Project [NSMP]
Lead	U.S. Geological Survey [USGS]
Description	The USGS National Strong-Motion Project (formerly titled the National Strong Motion Program) has the primary Federal responsibility for acquiring strong motion records of significant earthquakes in the United States recorded by sensors placed in the ground and in man-made structures. Currently the NSMP operates and maintains strong-motion instruments at more than 660 ground, free-field and reference sites, and more than 3200 channels of data from about 180 structural arrays. When a significant earthquake occurs, the NSMP automatically retrieves strong motion recordings from its instrumentation as well as from more than 2000 other instruments operated throughout the US by federal, state, and local agencies, private companies, and academic institutions that participate in the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). The NSMP rapidly processes these recordings according to COSMOS standards and archives the products at the Center for Engineering Strong Motion Data.
Science topics	Land elevation, Subsidence, Sea level rise, Seismicity, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	National Geospatial Agriculture Monitoring
Lead	National Agricultural Statistics Service [NASS]
Description	"US Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) collects and provides timely, accurate, and useful statistical information in service to US agriculture. The Spatial Analysis Research Section (SARS) within the Research and Development Division of NASS has produced a yearly Cropland Data Layer (CDL) product based on mid-resolution satellite data and high quality ground truth since 1997. This agricultural geospatial data is a crop and other specific land cover classification encompassing the entire contiguous United States. It provides geo-referenced, high accuracy, 30 or 56 m resolution, crop specific cropland land cover information. This product has been extensively used by policy and decision makers, scientists, researchers, educators, and farm producers for land cover monitoring, agricultural sustainability, crop acreage and yield estimation,disaster assessment, bioenergy crop inventory, food security policy, environmental assessment, carbon accounting, and other research interests that are of vital importance to American agriculture and its economy."
Science topics	Agriculture
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Assessing sea-level rise and flooding changes in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta using historical water-level records
Lead	California State University [CSU]
Description	The project aims to recover, digitize, and analyze more than 1300 station years of ‘lost-and-forgotten’ water level records collected from 1857 to 1982 in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. These measurements, augmented by modern data, will improve our understanding of tidal, flood, and sea level trends in the system. By determining ‘hotspots’ of habitat and flood risk sensitivity, the results may be used to better focus future scientific and management priorities, to protect the environment, manage flood risk, and enhance community resilience to climate change
Science topics	Backwater, Climate change, Environmental drivers, Estuaries, Land elevation, Levees, Outflow, Sea level rise, Stage, Subsidence, Surface water / flow, Tides, Velocity, Vessels and shipping channels, Water, Wind
Updated	October 10, 2023

Title	Large and small-scale sediment dynamics during (after) the drought
Lead	Delta Stewardship Council - Delta Science Program
Description	Turbidity plays a key role in Delta aquatic ecosystems, where suspended sediment can limit light for phytoplankton growth, transport contaminants, provide protection from predation for many fish species, and contribute to natural sediment recovery in shallow water habitats. The impact of drought conditions on water quality and ecological health is not well studied in estuarine systems, and more information is needed to manage the impacts of California’s drought and recovery in the Delta. This project will examine the effects of drought conditions on turbidity, particularly the interplay between estuarine turbulence, suspended sediment flocculation (particle aggregation), and in-water light levels. Information from this project will contribute fundamental knowledge on flocculation dynamics, help identify critical points for turbidity control during drought, and improve modeling and predictions of sediment transport within the Delta.
Science topics	None specified
Updated	January 4, 2024

Title	Perceptions of risk and management of the Delta levee system
Lead	University of California - Santa Cruz [UCSC]
Description	This study of the perceptions of flood risk and management of the levee system in a deltaic region of California illuminates the social, cultural, and psychological complexities of risk assessment. In order to better understand risk tolerance, we included stakeholders from the following groups: agriculture, engineering, boating and recreation industry, local reclamation districts, conservation organizations, water exporters, county government, and state agencies. Methods employed are qualitative and quantitative and include interviews and media analysis. For decades the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has been ripe with political controversies stemming from conflicting interests for its natural resources. The results of this study reveal distinct views on the sustainability of the Delta’s levees, the resilience of local communities, and who is accountable for present conditions. The findings of this study also elucidate nuances in the conversations on the viability of mitigation and adaptation as conditions in the Delta change. We conducted this study in two parts. First, we used the Q methodology and found five distinct views that shape stakeholders’ perceptions of risk of flooding from levee failure: fatalistic, skeptical, free market, bio-centric, and human ingenuity. Second, we collected over 500 newspaper articles from 1986 to 2017 to analyze the framing of issue of flooding in the Delta. As opposed to our study with diverse stakeholders, our media analysis show that the issue of flood risk has been framed in the media mostly along the binary lines of unpreventable catastrophe and control through emergency management.
Science topics	Levees
Updated	January 23, 2024

Title	Suisun Landscapes: historical ecology, functional metrics, and community priorities for landscape planning
Lead	San Francisco Estuary Institute [SFEI]
Description	To support management planning in Suisun Marsh, this project is developing a body of science and tools to understand past, present, and potential future changes to the Marsh’s ecological patterns, processes, and functions. This project builds on SFEI’s prior work in the Delta, extending historical ecology mapping, landscape change studies, and the Landscape Scenario Planning Tool to cover Suisun's historical and present-day landscapes. Through spatially explicit representations of the historical function and condition of the marsh and analyses of landscape metrics, this project is evaluating changes over time in landscape support for ecosystem functions and services in Suisun. In order to incorporate diverse perspectives into planning resources, project activities include engagement with local tribes and community members to understand community interests, priorities, and uses of the Marsh. Findings will be shared through a report and article for both technical and general audiences, and spatial analyses and data layers will be made available through the Landscape Scenario Planning Tool.
Science topics	None specified
Updated	October 10, 2024

Title	FutureTracts: Leveraging Agent-Based Models to Forecast Land Use Changes in California's Central Valley
Lead	University of California - Santa Cruz [UCSC]
Description	The proposed project is driven by the need to understand how land use has changed historically in California's Central Valley due to various drivers including environmental changes and socio-economic developments. Given the region's dependency on agriculture and its vulnerability to climate change—marked by shifts in precipitation patterns and water availability—it's crucial to model these dynamics accurately to forecast future conditions and plan effectively. Using Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) provides a sophisticated means to dissect past interactions between land use and environmental factors at a granular level. This historical understanding is pivotal as it sets the stage for projecting future scenarios. Additionally, the integration of future hydrology data generated from the CalSim3 model and socio-economic scenarios allows for a comprehensive analysis of potential future states. This analysis aims to explore strategic land use modifications that can meet future socio-economic goals under varying water availability scenarios. This research supports several key science actions, making it highly relevant to current policy discussions. It provides actionable insights into large-scale experiments (Science Action 1C), assesses the impact of climate on ecosystems (Science Action 6A), and explores water allocation strategies (Science Action 6E), thereby equipping policymakers and stakeholders with the necessary tools for informed decision-making. These decisions are crucial for maintaining ecological flows and ensuring the longterm viability of both the agricultural sector and the natural ecosystems upon which they depend.
Science topics	None specified
Updated	March 11, 2025

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