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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 and tourism, Surface water flow, Flood, Mudflats, Intertidal and 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 and freshwater marshes, Habitat, Non resident and overwintering birds
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	North American Breeding Bird Survey [BBS]
Lead	U.S. Geological Survey [USGS]
Description	The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the primary source for critical quantitative data to evaluate the status of continental bird species, keeping common birds common and helping fuel a $75 billion wildlife watching industry.
Science topics	Mudflats, Intertidal and transition zones, Above highwater refugia, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Gulls, Saltwater and freshwater marshes, Habitat, Birds, Non resident and overwintering birds
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship
Lead	The Institute for Bird Populations
Description	The MAPS Program is a continent-wide collaborative effort among public agencies, non-governmental groups, and individuals to assist the conservation of birds and their habitats through demographic monitoring. Since 1989, more than 1,200 MAPS stations spread across nearly every state and Canadian province have collected more than 2 million bird capture records.
Science topics	Mudflats, Intertidal and transition zones, Above highwater refugia, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Gulls, Saltwater and freshwater marshes, Habitat, Birds, Non resident and overwintering birds
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	eBird
Lead	Cornell University - Lab of Ornithology
Description	eBird is the world's largest biodiversity-related citizen science project, with more than 100 million bird sightings contributed each year by eBirders around the world. A collaborative enterprise with hundreds of partner organizations, thousands of regional experts, and hundreds of thousands of users, eBird is managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Science topics	Mudflats, Intertidal and transition zones, Above highwater refugia, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Gulls, Saltwater and freshwater marshes, Habitat, Birds, Non resident and overwintering birds
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Aquatic Invasive Species Programs
Lead	California Department of Parks and Recreation [PARKS]
Description	The Aquatic Weed Control Program includes both floating and submersed aquatic vegetation. DBW uses an Integrated Pest Management strategy with the following components: - Public information and education - Prevention - Pre-established action levels for chemical, biological and physical control - Environmental monitoring Since submersed and floating aquatic vegetation are well established in the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta, eradication may not be feasible, while controlling invasive growth is likely to lessen negative economic and biological impacts.
Science topics	Salinity, Water temperature, Dissolved oxygen, pH, Turbidity, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Floating aquatic vegetation, Water hyacinth, Brazilian waterweed, Spongeplant, Conductivity, Saltwater and freshwater marshes, Other species
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	California Natural Diversity Database [CNDDB]
Lead	California Department of Fish and Wildlife [CDFW]
Description	The California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) is an inventory of the status and locations of rare plants and animals in California. CNDDB staff work with partners to maintain current lists of rare species, as well as to maintain an ever-growing database of GIS-mapped locations for these species. The CNDDB is a "natural heritage program" and is part of a nationwide network of similar programs overseen by NatureServe (formerly part of The Nature Conservancy). All natural heritage programs provide location and natural history information on special status plants, animals, and natural communities to the public, other agencies, and conservation organizations. The data help drive conservation decisions, aid in the environmental review of projects and land use changes, and provide baseline data helpful in recovering endangered species and for research projects.
Science topics	Mudflats, Intertidal and 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, Chinook Salmon, Steelhead Trout, Green sturgeon, White Sturgeon, Delta Smelt, Longfin Smelt, Sacramento Splittail, Pelagic fish, Benthos, Salt marsh harvest mouse, Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Gulls, Giant garter snake, California tiger salamander, Insects, Mollusks, Crustaceans, Striped bass, Corbicula and Potamocorbula, Nutria, Water hyacinth, Brazilian waterweed, Spongeplant, Giant reed, Yellow star thistle, Saltwater and freshwater marshes, Habitat, Other species, Fish, Mammals, Birds, Amphibians and reptiles, Invertebrates, Invasive and non native species, Non resident and overwintering birds
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Lead	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]
Description	The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a network of 29 coastal sites designated to protect and study estuarine systems. Established through the Coastal Zone Management Act, the reserves represent a partnership program between NOAA and the coastal states. NOAA provides funding and national guidance, and each site is managed on a daily basis by a lead state agency or university with input from local partners.
Science topics	Stage, Air temperature, Precipitation, Wind, Solar irradiance, Nitrogen and ammonia, Phosphorous, Chlorophyll A B, Salinity, Water temperature, Dissolved oxygen, pH, Turbidity, Intertidal and transition zones, Above highwater refugia, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Mollusks, Saltwater and freshwater marshes, Other species
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	Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program
Lead	San Francisco Estuary Institute [SFEI]
Description	The Bioaccumulation Oversight Group (BOG) is a subcommittee of the SWAMP Roundtable that provides oversight of SWAMP's statewide bioaccumulation monitoring program. The BOG is also a workgroup of the California Water Quality Monitoring Council, and in this role manages the Safe to Eat Portal and is a forum for coordination of bioaccumulation monitoring in California. The mission of the BOG is to assess the impacts of contaminants in fish and shellfish on beneficial uses in California water bodies through statewide monitoring under SWAMP and perform syntheses of information from other studies, and to develop an internet portal that presents this information to decision-makers and the public in a form that they can easily use. See the Workgroup Charter for more information.
Science topics	Fishing, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Chinook Salmon, Steelhead Trout, Pelagic fish, Striped bass
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Aquatic Invasive Species [AIS] Program
Lead	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS]
Description	The overarching AIS goal is that "Risks of aquatic invasive species invasions are substantially reduced, and their economic, ecological, and human health impacts are minimized. This goal is addressed through a series of performance and workload measures. The AIS Program provides funding for Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinators for each Region within the Service and their respective aquatic nuisance species activities. These coordinators work closely with the public and private sector to develop and implement invasive species projects. One of the primary initiatives of the program is the prevention of invasive species via boats through the "100th Meridian Initiative" (overseen by individual AIS regional coordinators). This initiative aims to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species by boats personal watercraft and other pathways. Through boat inspections and boaters assessments along the 100th meridian, partners can learn how to prevent the spread of zebra mussels and other AIS via transport of boats and personal watercraft.
Science topics	Above highwater refugia, Amphibians and reptiles, Backwater, Brazilian waterweed, Corbicula and Potamocorbula, Crustaceans, Fish, Floating aquatic vegetation, Giant reed, Intertidal and transition zones, Invasive and non native species, Main channels, Mammals, Managed ponds, Mollusks, Mudflats, Nutria, Open water, Riparian wildlife, Saltwater and freshwater marshes, Seasonally flooded, Sloughs, Spongeplant, Striped bass, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Water hyacinth, Yellow star thistle
Updated	June 26, 2025

Title	Water Quality in the Nation's Stream and Rivers
Lead	U.S. Geological Survey [USGS]
Description	In 1991, Congress established the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project to address where, when, why, and how the Nation's water quality has changed, or is likely to change in the future, in response to human activities and natural factors. A prominent feature of NAWQA is the development of long-term consistent and comparable information on streams, rivers, ground water, and aquatic systems. The NAWQA Project is designed to answer these questions: 1. What is the current condition of our Nation's streams, rivers, and groundwater? 2. How are these conditions changing over time? 3. How do natural features and human activities affect these conditions, and where are those effects most pronounced? Under the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) project, there are several surface water and ecology studies, including the Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RQSA) (a baseline assessment of streams), and current conditions and long-term trends monitoring.
Science topics	Wastewater discharge, Nitrogen and ammonia, Phosphorous, Carbon, Chlorophyll A B, Harmful algal blooms HAB, Suspended sediment, Chemistry, Toxicity, Salinity, Water temperature, Dissolved oxygen, pH, Turbidity, Hg and methyl mercury, Polychlorinated biphenyl PCB, Hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAH, Flame retardants, Endocrine disruptors, Lead, Cadmium, Copper, Zinc, Arsenic, Selenium, Constituent of emerging concern CEC, Insecticides, Rodenticides, Herbicides, Fungicides, Microplastics, Other discharge contaminants, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Benthos, Insects, Mollusks, Crustaceans, Fish, Invertebrates
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Sacramento Watershed Coordinated Monitoring Program [SWCMP]
Lead	Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board [Central Valley RWQCB]
Description	SWCMP is a coordinated monitoring effort between DWR and Central Valley RWQCB. This program monitors ambient water quality at locations in the Sacramento River starting upstream of Lake Shasta and going south to Verona, and at the lower end of all large streams tributary to the Sacramento River. It is funded jointly by DWR Northern District Water Quality Section and the Central Valley RWQCB SWAMP. The SWCMP is designed to meet the monitoring needs of the Regional Boardâ€™s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) and the DWR Northern Districtâ€™s Water Quality and Biology section. Coordination allows both agencies to maximize the use of their limited resources.
Science topics	Nitrogen and ammonia, Phosphorous, Carbon, Suspended sediment, Toxicity, Water temperature, Dissolved oxygen, pH, Turbidity, Lead, Cadmium, Copper, Zinc, Arsenic, Selenium, Other discharge contaminants, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Benthos, Insects, Mollusks, Crustaceans, Conductivity, Invertebrates
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 and tourism, Surface water flow, Direction, Tides, Residence time, Waves, Flood, Drought, Mudflats, Intertidal and 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 and freshwater marshes, Habitat, Energy and mines, Water use and demand
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Ecosystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on International Space Station [ECOSTRESS]
Lead	National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]
Description	NASA JPL monitors water availability by measuring the temperatures of plants.
Science topics	Agriculture, Urban development, Sea level rise, Wildfire, Harmful algal blooms HAB, Phytoplankton, Suspended sediment, Turbidity, Mudflats, Intertidal and 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 and freshwater marshes, Habitat, Snowpack and snow water equivalent SWE
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 and 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 and freshwater marshes, Habitat, Energy and mines, Snowpack and 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 and 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 and 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 and freshwater marshes, Habitat, Energy and mines, Snowpack and 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 and 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 and 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 and freshwater marshes, Energy and mines, Snowpack and snow water equivalent SWE, Vessels and shipping channels
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Fisheries Branch Anadromous Assessment
Lead	California Department of Water Resource [DWR]
Description	The Fisheries Branch Anadromous Assessment Unit compiles annual population estimates of Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. Estimates are based on counts of fish entering hatcheries and migrating past dams, carcass surveys, live fish counts, creel census data, and ground and aerial redd counts.
Science topics	Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Chinook Salmon
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Anadromous Fish Abundance and Trends
Lead	Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission [PSMFC]
Description	In 1998, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the National Marine Fisheries Service began a cooperative effort to collect, archive, and enter into standardized database formats the information generated by fisheries resources agencies throughout California. Data for this project have been collected from a variety of government sources, such as the Department of Fish and Game and the US Forest Service, and non-government sources, such as tribal fisheries monitoring, university research, local watershed stewardship programs, and numerous additional fisheries stakeholders. The database contains a significant amount of information regarding the current and historic status of California's anadromous fish. The building and expansion of the cooperative anadromous fisheries abundance dataset is largely dependent on funding, support, and sharing the vision that this type of program in California is imperative. The wealth of this type of information that has already been compiled into the CalFish database demonstrates what can be accomplished through interagency cooperation.
Science topics	Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Chinook Salmon, Steelhead Trout, Habitat, Fish
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Anadromous Fish Distribution
Lead	California Department of Fish and Wildlife [CDFW]
Description	To meet the need for consistent statewide anadromous distribution data, CalFish cooperators have initiated a series of projects to begin pulling existing distribution data together for select anadromous species. We began developing Coho Distribution in 2002, published the first publicly available version in July 2007 and most recently updated with new information in June 2012. We extended this effort to Steelhead in the Fall of 2004, first published the data in the Fall of 2007 and updated it in Fall 2009 and most recently June 2012. Additionally, we are seeking funding to further extend this effort to Chinook in the very near future.
Science topics	Fishing, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Chinook Salmon, Steelhead Trout
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Freshwater CyanoHABs Program [Blue-Green Algae Harmful Algal Blooms]
Lead	California State Water Resources Control Board [SWRCB]
Description	Observations of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and algal toxins have increased globally in recent years. HABs are problematic because they can affect multiple beneficial uses including recreation, aquatic life, and drinking water by reducing aesthetics, lowering dissolved oxygen concentration, causing taste and odor problems, and producing potent toxins. Water Board staff are working with state and local entities to identify and respond to HAB incidents throughout California. The Water Board first began to formally address this issue in 2005 when it formed the Blue Green Algae Work Group, later renamed the California Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Bloom Network (CCHAB). An initial product of this group was the Voluntary Guidance Document (original release 2010, updated 2016). Subsequently, SWAMP prepared California Freshwater HAB Assessment and Support Strategy to articulate a coordinated program to assess, communicate and manage HABs in California.
Science topics	Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Floating aquatic vegetation, Benthos, Saltwater and freshwater marshes, Environmental drivers, Socio economic drivers, Other species
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Breeding Waterfowl Surveys
Lead	Pacific Flyway Council
Description	The California breeding population survey is modeled after the continental breeding survey. Though most of the wintering waterfowl in California breed outside of the state, California still has a significant number that both breed and winter here. CDFW and California Waterfowl Association (CWA) biologists conduct the California survey. Surveyed areas include wetland and agricultural areas in northeastern California, throughout the Central Valley, the Suisun Marsh, and some coastal valleys. CDFW biologists and warden-pilots use a fixed-wing aircraft to fly all of the transects while CWA completes the "ground" portion of the survey using a helicopter. This survey also utilizes a visibility correction factor. For the most part, ducks that only winter in California comprise most of the harvest, but CDFW augments the continental survey assessment with the estimates of California's breeding population for developing hunting regulation recommendations.
Science topics	Mudflats, Intertidal and transition zones, Above highwater refugia, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Waterfowl, Saltwater and freshwater marshes, Non resident and overwintering birds
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	Delta Region Areawide Aquatic Weed Project [DRAAWP]
Lead	California Department of Parks and Recreation [PARKS]
Description	The Delta Region Areawide Aquatic Weed Program has been focusing science and the application of science onto the management of invasive aquatic weeds such as water hyacinth, Brazilian egeria, and water primrose in the Delta.
Science topics	Above highwater refugia, Backwater, Delta islands, Floating aquatic vegetation, Giant reed, Habitat, Intertidal and transition zones, Main channels, Sloughs, Submerged aquatic vegetation
Updated	November 29, 2022

Title	Invasive Species Program
Lead	California Department of Fish and Wildlife [CDFW]
Description	The mission of the Invasive Species Program is to reduce the negative effects of non-native invasive species on the wildlands and waterways of California. We are involved in efforts to prevent the introduction of these species into the state, detect and respond to introductions when they occur, and prevent the spread of invasive species that have become established. The Quagga/Zebra program particularly relies heavily on water quality data, as the species will not establish in waters with low calcium. Therefore they rely substantially on water quality data collected and housed by others (primarily DWR). A large part of their effort is in training other state or private recreational agencies to recognize and report the species, and therefore also reported by others.
Science topics	Mudflats, Intertidal and transition zones, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Floating aquatic vegetation, Open water, Managed ponds, Waterfowl, Insects, Mollusks, Crustaceans, Corbicula and Potamocorbula, Nutria, Water hyacinth, Brazilian waterweed, Spongeplant, Giant reed, Yellow star thistle, Saltwater and freshwater marshes, Other species, Mammals, Amphibians and reptiles, Invasive and non native species
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Water Tracker
Lead	Point Blue Conservation Science
Description	The Water Tracker is an automated system that provides up-to-date and accurate data on surface water distributions in the Central Valley. This information is useful for water and wetland managers when making decisions about water management.
Science topics	Surface water flow, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Surface Water Protection Program
Lead	California Department of Pesticide Regulation [DPR]
Description	CA Department of Pesticide Regulation is the lead agency for regulating the registration, sales and use of pesticides in California. It is required by law to protect the environment, including surface waters, from environmentally harmful pesticides by prohibiting, regulating, or controlling the uses of such pesticides. The Surface Water Protection Program addresses both agricultural and nonagricultural sources of pesticide residues in surface waters. It has preventive and response components that reduce the presence of pesticides in surface waters. The preventive component includes local outreach to promote management practices that reduce pesticide runoff. Prevention also relies on DPR's registration process in which potential adverse effects to surface water quality, particularly those in high-risk situations are evaluated. The response component includes mitigation options to meet water quality goals, recognizing the value of self-regulating efforts to reduce pesticides in surface water as well as regulatory authorities of DPR, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB).
Science topics	Surface water flow, Groundwater, Toxicity, Endocrine disruptors, Copper, Constituent of emerging concern CEC, Insecticides, Rodenticides, Herbicides, Fungicides, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Non forested vegetation, Habitat
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Streamflow Monitoring
Lead	U.S. Geological Survey [USGS]
Description	The USGS works in partnership with more than 1,400 Federal, regional, State, Tribal, and local agencies or organizations to maintain and manage a multipurpose network of streamgages that monitor streamflow and (or) water level. Approximately 8,200 of the more than 10,000 USGS streamgages in the network continuously monitor streamflow year-round and are collectively referred to as the National 'Streamflow' Network (NSN). Approximately 40% of the NSN is made up of Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS), which are considered critical for long-term tracking and modeling/forecasting to ensure that Federal water priorities and responsibilities can be met. Such priorities and responsibilities include forecasting hydrologic events (floods and droughts);managing interstate agreements, compacts, court decrees, and other legal obligations;and tracking streamflow in major river basins and across borders.
Science topics	Water operations / exports, Water storage, Water conveyance / infrastructure, Wastewater discharge, Surface water flow, Stage, Velocity, Direction, Flood, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Stormwater runoff and drainage, Water use and demand
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	California Cooperative Snow Surveys [CCSS] program
Lead	California Department of Water Resource [DWR]
Description	Established in 1929 by the California Legislature, the California Cooperative Snow Surveys (CCSS) program is a partnership of more than 50 state, federal, and private agencies. The cooperating agencies not only share a pool of expert staff but share in funding the program, which collects, analyzes and disseminates snow data from more than 265 snow courses and 130 snow sensors located throughout the Sierra Nevada and Shasta-Trinity mountains. California is the only western state to perform this function on its own. In the other western states, snow surveys are done by the federally funded Natural Resources Conservation Service, which began its program in the mid-1930s. Both programs are similar, and there is a high degree of cooperation between the two entities. DWR is the lead agency in coordinating the CCSS program, which includes: -Maintaining snow surveying and sampling equipment -Training for our partner agencies -Course measurement schedules and data collection -Fiscal and staff resource needs for the various partners within the program. While monitoring doesn't occur in the Delta, snowmelt estimates are used to develop streamflow forecasts for the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers that flow through the Delta.
Science topics	Water storage, Surface water flow, Flood, Air temperature, Precipitation, Main channels, Sloughs, Backwater, Seasonally flooded, Riparian wildlife, Snowpack and snow water equivalent SWE
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	Fish and Fish Habitat Monitoring - Wetland Regional Monitoring Program.
Lead	University of California - Davis [UC Davis]
Description	The Wetland Regional Monitoring Program (WRMP) Fish and Fish Habitat Monitoring project is a collaborative effort to track biological responses to tidal wetland restoration in the San Francisco Estuary. Monthly sampling is conducted across a network of benchmark, reference, and project restoration sites in the South Bay and North Bay, with the goal of evaluating how wetland restoration influences fish assemblages, habitat use, and ecological condition. The study uses primarily otter trawls to monitor fish and macroinvertebrate communities. Standardized field methods align with those used in long-term monitoring programs to ensure comparability and data integration across regions. Environmental data, including water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, are collected in tandem with biological sampling to assess habitat quality and seasonal dynamics. The program addresses WRMP Guiding Question #4: How do policies, programs, and projects to protect and restore tidal marshes affect the distribution, abundance, and health of fish and wildlife? The data support adaptive management, regulatory compliance, and science-based restoration planning by identifying key habitats, tracking restoration performance, and detecting regional patterns in species composition and abundance over time.
Science topics	Backwater, Benthic, Benthos, Biosentinels, Bivalve, Corbicula and Potamocorbula, Crustaceans, Dissolved oxygen, Dredging, Drought, Endangered species, Environmental drivers, Estuaries, Fish, Flows, Habitat, Habitat restoration, Intertidal and transition zones, Invasive and non native species, Invertebrates, Jellyfish, Longfin Smelt, Marsh wildlife, Mollusks, Monitoring methods and techniques, Mudflats, Mysis, Other species, Pelagic fish, pH, Resilience, Restoration, Restoration planning, Sacramento Splittail, Salinity, Sloughs, Steelhead Trout, Striped bass, Sturgeon, Tidal wetlands, Tides, Turbidity, Wastewater discharge, Water, Water temperature, Wetland mapping, Wetlands, White Sturgeon
Updated	May 28, 2025

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