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Title	Extracting Better Information from Long-Term Monitoring Data: Estimating Occupancy and Abundance of Near-Shore Fishes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta
Lead	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS]
Description	Description The purpose of this study is to expand IEP monitoring and inference to other dominant near-shore, littoral habitats not sampled by beach seines through the use of boat electrofishing. To accomplish this we will sample key littoral fish species across various near-shore habitats in order to determine how best to estimate abundance, occupancy, capture probabilities, and related environmental drivers. Need Expanding DJFMP sampling to other habitats throughout the Delta will allow our program to detect and monitor fishes and ecological trends through time, alleviating a recognized data gap. Current sampling relies on data collected through non-random fixed point sampling of unobstructed habitats, which limits the utility of our data to inform management decision. Objectives • Design boat electrofishing survey methods to expand DJFMP’s monitoring into habitats and locations not sampled by beach seining. • Design and develop field and data analysis methods for estimating capture probability and abundance using boat electrofishing techniques. • Predict spatio-temporal distribution of habitats occupied by key littoral species.
Science topics	Habitat
Updated	April 24, 2025

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	Audubon Christmas Bird Count [CBC]
Lead	National Audubon Society
Description	Each November, birders interesting in participating in the CBC can sign up and join in through the Audubon website. From December 14 through January 5 each year tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas brave snow, wind, or rain, and take part in the effort.
Science topics	Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Seasonally flooded, Open water, Managed ponds, Riparian wildlife, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Pacific flyway, Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Gulls, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Non-resident / 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 / 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 / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Birds, Non-resident / 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 / 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 / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Birds, Non-resident / 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 / 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 / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Birds, Non-resident / overwintering birds
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	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 / 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/Potamocorbula, Nutria, Water hyacinth, Brazilian waterweed, Spongeplant, Giant reed, Yellow star thistle, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Habitat, Other species, Fish, Mammals, Birds, Amphibians and reptiles, Invertebrates, Invasive / non native species, Non-resident / overwintering birds
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	AmeriFlux Network
Lead	U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Biological and Environmental Research [DOE-BER]
Description	AmeriFlux is a network of PI-managed sites measuring ecosystem CO2, water, and energy fluxes in North, Central and South America. AmeriFlux is now one of the DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Researchâ€™s (BER) best-known and most highly regarded brands in climate and ecological research. AmeriFlux datasets, and the understanding derived from them, provide crucial linkages between terrestrial ecosystem processes and climate-relevant responses at landscape, regional, and continental scales. Scientific Questions What are the magnitudes of carbon storage and the exchanges of energy, CO2 and water vapor in terrestrial systems? What is the spatial and temporal variability? How is this variability influenced by vegetation type, phenology, changes in land use, management, and disturbance history, and what is the relative effect of these factors? What is the causal link between climate and the exchanges of energy, CO2 and water vapor for major vegetation types, and how does seasonal and inter-annual climate variability and anomalies influence fluxes? What is the spatial and temporal variation of boundary layer CO2 concentrations, and how does this vary with topography, climatic zone and vegetation?
Science topics	Agriculture, Air temperature, Precipitation, Wind, Solar irradiance, Carbon, Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Environmental drivers, Habitat
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Perennial Streams Survey
Lead	Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition [SMC]
Description	The Perennial Streams Assessment (PSA) is an ongoing, long-term statewide survey of the ecological condition of wadeable perennial streams and rivers throughout California. The PSA collects samples for biological indicators (BMIs and algae) and chemical constituents (nutrients, major ions, etc.), and also conducts habitat assessments for both in-stream and riparian corridor conditions.
Science topics	Nitrogen / ammonia, Chlorophyll A / B, Harmful algal blooms HAB, Main channels, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Benthos, Insects, Mollusks, Crustaceans, Conductivity, Habitat, Invertebrates
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Aquatic Invasive Species Program [CDFW]
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. Our projects address problems with introduced animals and plants, both terrestrial and aquatic. More fundamentally, we try to identify and address the ways by which the species are introduced, typically inadvertently, by human activities. Studies show that preventing introductions is the most effective and cost-efficient way to manage invasive species. We conduct our work in coordination with other government agencies and non-governmental organizations.
Science topics	Habitat, Invasive / non native species, Main channels, Managed ponds, Mollusks, Other species, Recreation & tourism, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Sloughs, Submerged aquatic vegetation, Vessels and shipping channels
Updated	July 31, 2024

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	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 / 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, Snowpack / 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 / 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	Soil Survey Geographic Database [SSURGO]
Lead	U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA]
Description	The SSURGO database contains information about soil as collected by the National Cooperative Soil Survey over the course of a century. The information can be displayed in tables or as maps and is available for most areas in the United States and the Territories, Commonwealths, and Island Nations served by the USDA-NRCS. The information was gathered by walking over the land and observing the soil. Many soil samples were analyzed in laboratories. The maps outline areas called map units. The map units describe soils and other components that have unique properties, interpretations, and productivity. The information was collected at scales ranging from 1:12,000 to 1:63,360. More details were gathered at a scale of 1:12,000 than at a scale of 1:63,360. The mapping is intended for natural resource planning and management by landowners, townships, and counties. Some knowledge of soils data and map scale is necessary to avoid misunderstandings. The maps are linked in the database to information about the component soils and their properties for each map unit. Each map unit may contain one to three major components and some minor components. The map units are typically named for the major components. Examples of information available from the database include available water capacity, soil reaction, electrical conductivity, and frequency of flooding;yields for cropland, woodland, rangeland, and pastureland;and limitations affecting recreational development, building site development, and other engineering uses. SSURGO datasets consist of map data, tabular data, and information about how the maps and tables were created. The extent of a SSURGO dataset is a soil survey area, which may consist of a single county, multiple counties, or parts of multiple counties. SSURGO map data can be viewed in the Web Soil Survey or downloaded in ESRIÂ® Shapefile format. The coordinate systems are Geographic. Attribute data can be downloaded in text format that can be imported into a MicrosoftÂ® AccessÂ® database.
Science topics	Forests, Non-forested vegetation, Delta islands, Environmental drivers, Habitat
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Program [GAMA]
Lead	U.S. Geological Survey [USGS]
Description	The Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program is California's comprehensive groundwater quality monitoring program that was created by the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) in 2000. It was later expanded by Assembly Bill 599 - the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001. AB 599 required the State Water Board, in coordination with an Interagency Task Force (ITF) and Public Advisory Committee (PAC) to integrate existing monitoring programs and design new program elements as necessary, resulting in a publicly accepted plan to monitor and assess groundwater quality in basins that account for 95% of the state's groundwater use. The GAMA Program is based on interagency collaboration with the State and Regional Water Boards, Department of Water Resources, Department of Pesticide Regulations, U.S. Geological Survey, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and cooperation with local water agencies and well owners.
Science topics	Groundwater, Salinity, Hg and methyl mercury, Hydrocarbons / polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAH, Flame retardants, Endocrine disruptors, Lead, Arsenic, Selenium, Constituent of emerging concern CEC, Nitrogen / ammonia, Other discharge contaminants, Conductivity, Habitat, Fecal coliform / E. coli
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	Sturgeon Study
Lead	California Department of Water Resource [DWR]
Description	Staff of the Sturgeon Study make estimates of sturgeon abundance, relative abundance, harvest rate, and survival rate by using data from Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (Party Boats;CPFV), various creel surveys, and a mark-recapture program. We monitor the relative abundance of sturgeon by calculating catch per unit effort (CPUE) from data submitted by Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels. The Department's Marine Region compiles the data, we request the data at intervals, and we calculate CPUE. By applying tags to sturgeon and monitoring the subsequent ratio of tagged fish to untagged fish, we calculate sturgeon abundance, relative abundance, harvest rate, and survival rate. During August-October we use nets in San Pablo Bay and/or Suisun Bay to collect sturgeon, then we tag and release them on-site. Each tag includes our mailing address and a unique code, and some tags include a reward value. By posting "Tagged-fish Wanted" posters around the Estuary and making presentations, we encourage anglers to return tags to us. We also recover tags by talking with anglers during various creel surveys.
Science topics	Main channels, Green sturgeon, White Sturgeon, Habitat
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Delta Juvenile Fish Monitoring Program [DJFMP]
Lead	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS]
Description	The Delta Juvenile Fish Monitoring Program (DJFMP) has monitored natural-origin and hatchery-origin juvenile Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and other fish species within the San Francisco Estuary (SFE) since 1976 using a combination of midwater trawls and beach seines. Since 2000, three trawl sites and at least 58 beach seine sites have been sampled weekly or biweekly within the SFE and lower Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. The main objectives of the DJFMP are: 1. Document the long-term abundance and distribution of juvenile Chinook Salmon in the Delta. 2. Comprehensively monitor throughout the year to document the presence of all races of juvenile Chinook Salmon. 3. Intensively monitor juvenile Chinook salmon during the fall and winter months for use in managing water project operations (Delta Cross Channel gates and water export levels) on a real-time basis. 4. Document the abundance and distribution of Steelhead. 5. Document the abundance and distribution of non-salmonid species.
Science topics	Aquatic vegetation, Chinook Salmon, Conductivity, Crustaceans, Dissolved oxygen, Endangered species, Environmental drivers, Estuaries, Fish, Habitat, Historical ecology, Intertidal / transition zones, Invasive / non native species, Invertebrates, Jellyfish, Main channels, Monitoring methods and techniques, Mysis, Open water, Other species, Pelagic fish, Salinity, Salmon migration, Salmon rearing, SAV/FAV, Steelhead Trout, Turbidity, Water conveyance / infrastructure, Water management, Water operations / exports, Water temperature
Updated	May 21, 2025

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	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	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 / transition zones, Main channels, Sloughs, Submerged aquatic vegetation
Updated	November 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	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	Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay
Lead	U.S. Geological Survey [USGS]
Description	The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) is SFEI's largest program. It provides the information that regulators and decision-makers need to manage the Bay effectively. The RMP is an innovative collaborative effort between SFEI, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the regulated discharger community.
Science topics	Stage, Solar irradiance, Nitrogen / ammonia, Phosphorous, Carbon, Chlorophyll A / B, Suspended sediment, Salinity, Water temperature, Dissolved oxygen, Turbidity, Hg and methyl mercury, Copper, Selenium, Other discharge contaminants, Main channels, Conductivity, Habitat
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Central Valley Joint Venture [CVJV]
Lead	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS]
Description	The Central Valley Joint Venture (CVJV) is a self-directed coalition consisting of 21 State and Federal agencies, private conservation organizations and one corporation. This partnership directs their efforts toward the common goal of providing for the habitat needs of migrating and resident birds in the Central Valley of California. The CVJV was established in 1988 as a regional partnership focused on the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. It has since broadened its focus to the conservation of habitats for other birds, consistent with major national and international bird conservation plans and the North American Bird Conservation Initiative. The Central Valley Habitat Joint Venture was formally organized in 1988 and was one of the original six priority joint ventures formed under the NAWMP. Renamed the Central Valley Joint Venture in 2004, the Management Board now consists of nineteen public and private members. The CVJV is currently administered through a coordination office within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and is guided by a Management Board that receives input and recommendations from a variety of working committees.
Science topics	Hunting, Agriculture, Urban development, Recreation & tourism, Mudflats, Intertidal / transition zones, Above-highwater refugia, Seasonally flooded, Riparian wildlife, Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Gulls, Habitat, Non-resident / overwintering birds
Updated	April 29, 2022

Title	Functional diversity and predator dynamics along the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Delta
Lead	University of California - Santa Cruz [UCSC]
Description	This project's objectives are to: 1) determine snake species diversity and relative abundance, 2) establish resources available and examine the functional role that snakes play along field sites within the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, 3) document predator-prey interactions, and 4) assess the thermal physiology of snakes and the thermal profile of microhabitats along the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Science topics	Habitat, Invasive / non native species
Updated	February 27, 2025

Title	Non-Invasive Environmental DNA Monitoring to Support Tidal Wetland Restoration
Lead	University of California - Davis [UC Davis]
Description	In this project we use single-species and multi-species environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches to monitor tidal wetland restoration sites and paired reference sites (existing, unrestored tidal wetlands located near restoration sites) in the San Francisco Bay Delta (SFBD). We are working in coordination with the CDFW Fish Restoration Program (FRP) and other collaborators so our eDNA detections can be paired with physical detections of fishes from their trawling efforts. Ultra-sensitive DNA single species detection methods are being used to identify restoration site use by listed species (Delta Smelt, Longfin Smelt, winter- and spring-run Chinook Salmon) while the DNA metabarcoding approach will evaluate entire fish communities (groups of different fish species) at restored and reference sites. Aside from revealing restored habitat use by other fishes, metabarcoding will reveal potential ecological interactions between Endangered Species Act listed and non-listed species, through concurrent detection in time and space. Sampling throughout the year will allow us to identify seasonal trends in fish use of restored and reference sites. This project will demonstrate the utility of eDNA detection as a non-invasive (no take), cost-effective monitoring tool that can complement conventional surveys of restored tidal wetlands in the SFBD. Our results can be incorporated into an adaptive monitoring framework for tidal wetland restoration, to increase success of future restoration projects.
Science topics	Chinook Salmon, Delta Smelt, Endangered species, Estuaries, Fish, Green sturgeon, Habitat, Habitat restoration, Invasive / non native species, Invertebrates, Longfin Smelt, Mollusks, Pelagic fish, Restoration, Restoration planning, Sacramento Splittail, Salmon migration, Salmon rearing, Steelhead Trout, Striped bass, Sturgeon, Tidal wetlands, Wetlands, White Sturgeon
Updated	May 24, 2024

Title	From Microbes to Zooplankton, What Defines a Beneficial Wetland?
Lead	San Francisco State University, Estuary & Ocean Science Center
Description	Our study will characterize species diversity at multiple levels of biological organization in the water column of restoring wetlands in the upper San Francisco Estuary and Delta (SFE), from bacteria to fishes. In doing so, we will also describe the foodweb benefits being provided to larval fishes, including longfin smelt, through additional dietary DNA analysis. We will use the species diversity we find in the water column to identify a subset of biota that are indicative of the conditions present in wetlands in different stages of restoration (early, intermediate, and mature) and identify connections between those indicators to the foodweb resources being provided to higher trophic levels. We will study 3-4 wetlands in each of 3 stages: early (unvegetated), intermediate (partially vegetated and partially channelized), and mature (fully vegetated and channelized) wetlands.
Science topics	Crustaceans, Cyanobacteria, Estuaries, Fish, Food webs, Habitat, Habitat restoration, Insects, Invertebrates, Longfin Smelt, Other species, Other zooplankton, Pelagic fish, Phytoplankton, Predation, Restoration, Salinity, Saltwater / freshwater marshes, Tidal wetlands, Wetlands, Zooplankton
Updated	January 31, 2024

Title	Impacts of predation and habitat on Central Valley Chinook smolt survival
Lead	University of Vermont, USGS Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Description	The Sacramento River in California’s Central Valley has been highly modified over the past 150 years due to mining, urbanization, and impoundment/diversion of river flow to provide water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural needs. Land use changes combined with high levels of harvest have been accompanied by drastic declines in native salmon populations, including the once abundant Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Further, the region has been subject to the introduction and widespread establishment of non-native fish species, some of which are predators of juvenile salmon. Of the four historic ecotypes of Chinook salmon (fall, late-fall, winter, and spring runs), winter- and spring-runs have been most impacted and are currently listed as endangered and threatened respectively under the US Endangered Species act. Past research has illustrated how smoltification of juvenile salmon and outmigration from freshwater to the ocean is a time of increased mortality, and reduced survival at this life stage can impact the number of reproducing adults returning to the system in subsequent years. While these studies have provided valuable information on how habitat and environmental conditions experienced by migrating Chinook salmon smolts can affect survival, they have primarily focused on individual ecotypes during the portion of the year where downstream migrations occur. However, variation in smolt size and migration timing among ecotypes can expose migrating fish to differing environmental conditions and levels of exposure to predation, which can present distinct risks for outmigration survival. To identify the areas and environmental conditions which have the greatest relative impact on juvenile survival for each ecotype, this project will use over ten years of data (2012-2022) from acoustically tagged smolts representing all four Chinook salmon ecotypes in the Sacramento River/Central Valley. Combining these data will increase sample size relative to previous studies, the range of environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, flow, and predator abundance) modeled, the range of fish sizes, and thus, the statistical power of our analyses. We hypothesize that each ecotype will have different factors that will be the primary drivers of mortality experienced during outmigration. To test our hypotheses, we will implement Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) mark-recapture models to estimate both the probability of survival through reaches of the Sacramento River delineated by acoustic receivers, and the detection probability in each reach. Survival will be modeled as a function of individual, release group, reach-specific, and time-varying covariates. Further, to examine the relative impact of predation on smolt survival, we will include an additional covariate representing predator-prey encounter rates using the Mean Free-path Length model. Finally, model selection will be applied to a series of CJS models to assess the relative impact of each covariate on smolt survival for each of the four Chinook ecotypes.
Science topics	Chinook Salmon, Environmental drivers, Fish, Flows, Habitat, Predation, Salmon migration, Water temperature
Updated	February 2, 2024

Title	The effects of climate change on the life history of spring-run Chinook Salmon through time
Lead	University of California - Santa Cruz [UCSC]
Description	Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) populations in California are in decline due to the combined effects of habitat degradation, water diversions, and shifting climate regimes. This project uses archival tissues (otoliths, vertebrae) from modern and ancient spring-run Chinook Salmon to understand how shifts in migration timing and habitat use allowed salmon to cope with highly variable environmental conditions. We will learn how salmon responded to the recent drought and flood periods (2012-2020 CE), the California Gold Rush Period (~1835-1870 CE), the Little Ice Age (~1560-1780 CE), and the Megadrought Period (~1200-1410 CE). This effort will provide the insights needed for developing climate-adapted conservation actions to support salmon into the future.
Science topics	Chemistry, Chinook Salmon, Climate change, Environmental drivers, Fish, Habitat, Salmon rearing
Updated	April 8, 2025

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