Science activity

Science activity #53501, updated 14 June 2024

Analysis of Delta Salinity during Extended Drought – Pilot Project

Description / purpose

Managing California water operations for multiple priorities under long term drought conditions is becoming an increasing challenge which is compounded by potential sea level rise. This project is a pilot exercise to demonstrate the utility of hydrodynamic and salinity transport models in to understand options for salinity management under extended drought combined with climate change and sea level rise. The project will also consider how to make model outputs available and relevant to other modeling and environmental management decision making efforts. The full range of potential sea level rise, restoration and operational actions is extensive, involving many potential combinations of individual actions. Therefore, it is difficult to fully explore potential actions with high resolution multi-dimensional models. The proposed approach is to use high resolution multi-dimensional flow and transport models to evaluate changes in transport in the Delta under sea level rise, restoration, and operational scenarios. The predicted changes to salinity for a given scenario will inform operations modeling in CALSIM through re-calibration of an ANN to approximately account for the changed salinity response of the estuary. Operations modeling incorporating the revised ANN will then estimate Delta inflows and overall water cost to meet Delta standards for the scenario. “Round-trip” modeling will be performed using the detailed Delta models to verify that the predicted hydrologic inputs allow appropriate compliance with water quality standards and will provide other metrics related to Delta transport.

Linked science activities

None specified

Activity status

  • 1 Awarded / Initiating (2023)
  • 2 In progress / Ongoing
  • 3 Complete

Funding summary

Total allocated funding: $324,856

Label Value
Contract # or labor code DSC22064
Implementing organization Resource Management Associates [RMA]
Funding organization Delta Stewardship Council
Funding Source Not provided
Date of award 2023-03-15
Date of fiscal year-end Not provided
Total award amount $324,856
State type of obligation Not provided
Federal type of obligation Not provided
Reimbursability Not provided
Procurement mechanism Not provided

Location

Subbasins
Delta regions

Geographic tags

Products and outputs

None provided