The Estuary Project'snon-Profit Partner

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Estuary Project'snon-Profit Partner PublicationsPublications TheThe EstuaryEstuary Project’sProject’s Non-ProfitNon-Profit PartnerPartner (PRINT AND ON-LINE) ESTUARY, an eight-page, bi-monthly newsletter that includes fre- The Friends of the San The San Francisco quent, comprehensive inserts about CALFED’s Science Program and the Regional Monitoring Program led by the San Francisco Francisco Estuary is a 501(c)(3) Estuary Project is a federal-state- Estuary Institute non-profit organization associated with local partnership working to restore water Courtesty Delta In-Channel Island Work Group. Bay-Delta Environmental Report Card, March 1999 the Estuary Project. Its goal is to quality and manage the natural resources of Bay-Delta Environmental Report Card, September 2001 increase public awareness of the the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary while Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals Estuary and to encourage Baylands Ecosystem Species and Community Profiles maintaining the region’s economic vitality. Boater’s Pumpout Map & Guides for San Francisco Bay and the San public involvement in The Estuary Project oversees and tracks Joaquin & Sacramento River Delta decision-making processes implementation of a Comprehensive CCMP Workbook, October 1996 about the Estuary. Conservation and Management Plan— Erosion and Sediment Control Field Manual and Guidebook for Construction Projects and videos:“Keep it Clean”;“Hold On To The Friends support the the “CCMP”—for preserving, restoring, and Your Dirt” education programs begun enhancing the Bay-Delta Estuary.The Estuary Introduction to the Ecology of the San Francisco Bay by the Estuary Project by Project disseminates newsletters, fact sheets, SFEP web site: http://sfep.abag.ca.gov sponsoring workshops for videos, and other materials to educate the public SFEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan State of the Estuary 2002: Science and Strategies for Restoration students and teachers and about Bay-Delta wetlands, wildlife, aquatic State of the Estuary 2000: Restoration Primer by helping community groups conduct resources, and land use issues. It helps implement State of the Estuary Report 1992-1997 restoration projects.As a joint project hands-on restoration projects, and administers The SF Bay-Delta Estuary Under Siege:Aquatic Invasive Species with the Regional Water Quality small grants, erosion control and science work- Threats to the West: the Invasion of Western Waters by Control Board, the Friends work with Non-Native Species shops, and many other programs. inner-city students from Richmond High School—the “Richmond High San Francisco Fact Sheets Creek Keepers”—each year to provide Agricultural Drainage environmental leadership opportunities Aquatic and Wildlife Resources and to train students to conduct CCMP Dredging and Waterway Modification hands-on restoration and public out- SAN FRANCISCO How We Use the Estuary’s Water reach. Donations to the Friends are tax ESTUARY PROJECT Land Use deductible. For more information, call Overview of Estuary Concerns 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400 Pollutants Steve Cochrane at (510) 622-2337. Oakland, CA 94612 Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (510) 622-2465 Wetlands (510) 622-2501 (fax) Photo by Norah Rudin. Inset: Richmond Creek ESTUARY Photo by Norah Rudin Norah Photo by ESTUARY Keepers. Photo by Steve Cochrane. Design: Bobbi Sloan | Writing: Lisa Owens-Viani http://sfep.abag.ca.gov Project Invasive Species Delta In-Channel Island Work Group To help implement the Invasive Species Act of 1996, the Estuary Project works with the Aquatic Nuisance Species National Task In Fall 2002, the Estuary Project com- BackgroundBackground Projects / Programs Force and other groups to educate the public, maritime industry, pleted restoration of a third in-channel and ports about ballast water and associated invasive species issues. island, one of several islands created The San Francisco Bay-Delta Comprehensive Conservation and The Estuary Project developed, printed, and distributed 25,000 when channels were dredged to build copies of an 8-page fact sheet on invasive species in western states, Estuary is the largest estuary on the West Management Plan (CCMP) Delta levees.The three projects and 20,000 copies of a 6-page fact sheet on Bay-Delta invasives. demonstrate the benefits and habitat Coast and a vital resource for the state’s Over 100 private, government, and community stakeholders helped values of soil bioengineering/bank human and wildlife populations. develop the CCMP in 1993.The CCMP sets forth 145 actions Boater Education stabilization techniques.The Work needed to save fish, conserve water, reduce pollution, and promote Group plans to develop an inventory Courtesty Delta In-Channel Island The Estuary Project conducts widespread media campaigns to edu- Work Group. environmentally sound decisions about land use. Every few years, the of all of the in-channel islands. The Estuary system encompasses roughly 1,600 Estuary Project convenes the CCMP stakeholders to re-evaluate the cate boaters about how to prevent pollution, and prints and distrib- utes environmental guidelines for recreational boaters along with square miles, drains over 40 percent of the state group’s priorities. JARPA (Joint Aquatic Resource maps of the Bay-Delta showing the location of pump-out stations. (60,000 square miles), provides drinking water The Estuary Project evaluates its progress in enhancing environmen- Permit Application) to 22 million Californians (two-thirds of the tal protection by publishing a progress report called the Bay-Delta Construction Site Planning and Management Estuary Project staff assist project managers and public agencies Environmental Report Card.Three report cards have been issued for Water Quality Protection needing aquatic permits by guiding them through a streamlined state’s population), and irrigates 4.5 million since 1993. Working closely with the San Francisco Regional Water Quality permit application process. acres of farmland. Two-thirds of the state’s The Estuary Project also sponsors a biennial, three-day State of the Control Board, the Estuary Project holds workshops each year to Small Grants salmon pass through the Bay and Delta, as do Estuary Conference and produces the State of the Estuary report teach developers, builders, consultants, and municipal staffs about nearly half of the waterfowl and shorebirds summarizing the science presented at the conference.The 2001 Best Management Practices that prevent erosion and pollution and In 2002-2003, the Estuary Project established a competitive, conference was co-sponsored by CALFED and more than 50 other control sediment runoff from construction sites. small grants program to fund community projects that improve migrating along the Pacific Flyway. agencies and organizations. the health of the Estuary. In 1987, Congress authorized the National Estuary Program under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act to address the decline of our The Estuary Project plays a key role in implementing the CCMP by facilitating joint programs nation’s estuaries. California’s governor nominated with other agencies and partners with an interest in the Bay-Delta Estuary. Among those San Francisco Bay as an “estuary of national Coordination and Collaboration programs and partnerships are the following: significance,” and the U.S. EPA officially added ABAG CALFED Task Force Interagency Ecological program (helped organize 2003 annual San Francisco Bay Joint Venture the Bay-Delta Estuary to the program in conference in Asilomar) CALFED Science and Drinking Water Quality Programs Santa Clara Watershed Management Initiative and Santa Clara December 1987. Lagunitas Creek: worked with SF Regional Water Quality Control Valley Water District (technical assistance) Citizen Monitoring and Watershed Assessment Resource Center; support Board to assess benefits to salmonids after installation of large for Coastal Conservancy funding of Watershed Assessment projects Selection of Ecosystem Indicators for the San Francisco Estuary woody debris The Estuary Project is financed by federal (with SFEI,The Bay Institute, and other partners) Contaminant Levels in San Francisco Bay Fish Tissues Advisory Monitoring/Assessing Air Emission Impacts on Water Quality with appropriations under the Clean Water Act and Committee Supplemental Environmental Projects (oversight of local environ- BASMAA mental projects funded through Administrative Civil Liabilities fines matching funds from state and local entities, and Copper Brake Pad Partnership North Bay Restoration and Enhancement Activities imposed by the SF Regional Water Quality Control Board) operates on an annual budget of approximately EcoAtlas Information System and Tracking Habitat (with SFEI and Oakland Middle Harbor Enhancement Project: with Friends of the TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Loads for pollutants of concern) other partners) $6-8 million, depending on funding availability. Estuary, BCDC, and the Port of Oakland, conducted technical review —assist SF Regional Water Quality Control Board with public Electronic Reporting System for National Pollutant Discharge outreach San Francisco Bay Wetlands Restoration Program and Habitat Elimination System Permits (NPDES) (assist SF Regional Water Goals Project Quality Control Board) Photo by Norah Rudin Norah Photo by.
Recommended publications
  • LONGFIN SMELT Spirinchus Thaleichthys USFWS: None CDFG: Threatened
    LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. PUBLIC DRAFT SOLANO HCP JULY 2012 SOLANO COUNTY WATER AGENCY NATURAL COMMUNITY AND SPECIES ACCOUNTS LONGFIN SMELT Spirinchus thaleichthys USFWS: None CDFG: Threatened Species Account Status and Description. The longfin smelt is listed as a threatened species by the California Fish and Game Commission. Abundance of the longfin smelt has reached record lows in the San Francisco-Delta population, and the species may already be extinct in some northern California estuarine populations, resulting in an overall threat of extinction to the species within California (Federal Register 2008). The longfin smelt was also proposed for federal listing, but on April 8, 2009 the USFWS determined that the San Francisco Bay Estuary population does not qualify for listing as a distinct population segment under federal regulations. Further assessment of the entire population is being conducted, however, and future listing may be considered. Photo courtesy of California Department of Fish and Game Longfin smelt, once mature, are slim, silver fish in the family Osmeridae (true smelts). Moyle (2002) describes the species as being 90-110 mm (standard length) at maturity, with a translucent silver appearance along the sides of the body, and an olive to iridescent pinkish hue on the back. Mature males are often darker than females, with enlarged and stiffened dorsal and anal fins, a dilated lateral line region, and breeding tubercles on paired fins and scares. Longfin smelt can be distinguished from other California smelt by their long pectoral fins (which reach or nearly reach the bases of the pelvic fins), incomplete lateral line, weak or absent striations on the opercular bones, low number of scales in the lateral line (54-65) and long maxillary bones (which in adults extent just short of the posterior margin of the eye).
    [Show full text]
  • About Aquarium of the Bay
    Aquarium of the Bay Bay Ecotarium Press Kit Aquarium of the Bay Press Kit About Aquarium of the Bay Aquarium of the Bay Exhibit Highlights Aquarium of the Bay Fact Sheet Aquarium of the Bay Fun Facts Sustainability at Aquarium of the Bay About Bay Ecotarium Contact About Aquarium of the Bay i and indigenous - offering — Bay Ecotarium has a shared mission Sierra to the Sea™ Exhibit Highlights DISCOVER THE BAY UNDER THE BAY in length Go With The Flow jellies Nearshore Tunnel 0 15 Octopus and Friends Gallery This gallery features the newest aquatic additions to the Aquarium— the Pacific spiny lumpsuckers. Other animals that can be found in this gallery include a giant Pacific octopus, Dungeness crabs, and abalone. Offshore Tunnel (Sharks of Alcatraz) (Sharks of Alcatraz) Exhibit Highlights TOUCH THE BAY Touchpools touch Bay Lab RIVER OTTERS: WATERSHED AMBASSADORS : San Francisco Aquarium of the Bay Fact Sheet Overview: Aquarium of the Bay, located at the world-famous PIER 39, is the only aquarium dedicated to the diverse marine life and distinctive ecosystems of San Francisco Bay. Aquarium of the Bay is home to over 20,000+ marine and indigenous animals that can be found in San Francisco Bay and along the California coast. With more than 500,000 visitors annually, Aquarium of the Bay provides an unmatched window through which to view local marine life. Mission: Aquarium of the Bay is an institution of Bay.org DBA Bay Ecotarium, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to enable conversations on climate resilience and ocean conservation globally, while inspiring actionable change locally by protection and preservation of the San Francisco Bay and its ecosystems, from Sierra to the Sea™.
    [Show full text]
  • Status and Trends of Indicators of Ecosystem Health
    STATUS AND TRENDS OF INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH THE ESTUARY SAN FRANCISCO BAY AND SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN RIVER DELTA The San Francisco Estuary Partnership collaborates with partners throughout the Bay and Delta on regional, science-based programs to increase the health and resilience of the San Francisco Estuary. Established as part of the National Estuary Program over 25 years ago by the State of California and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Partnership manages multi-benefit projects that improve the well-being of wildlife and human communities from the inland rivers to the Golden Gate. More information can be found at sfestuary.org SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP 375 Beale Street, Suite 700, San Francisco, CA 94105 © 2019 San Francisco Estuary Partnership. All rights reserved. Please cite as The State of the Estuary 2019, San Francisco Estuary Partnership. The Delta Stewardship Council was created in 2009 by the California Legislature to advance the state’s coequal goals for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta through the development and enforcement of a long-term sustainable management plan. Informed by the Delta Science Program and Delta Independent Science Board, the Council oversees implementation of this plan through coordination and oversight of state and local agencies proposing to fund, carry out, and approve Delta-related activities. More information can be found at deltacouncil.ca.gov STATUS AND TRENDS OF INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH THE ESTUARY SAN FRANCISCO BAY AND SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN RIVER DELTA SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ESTUARY THAT INCLUDES THE SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN DELTA, SUISUN BAY, SAN PABLO BAY, AND SAN FRANCISCO BAY CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .
    [Show full text]
  • Programmatic Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Assessment for the Long-Term Management Strategy for the Placement of Dredged Material in the San Francisco Bay Region
    Programmatic Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Assessment for the Long-Term Management Strategy for the Placement of Dredged Material in the San Francisco Bay Region July 2009 Executive Summary Programmatic Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Assessment for the Long-Term Management Strategy for the Placement of Dredged Material in the San Francisco Bay Region Pursuant to section 305(b)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. §1855(b)), the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), as the federal lead and co-lead agencies, respectively, submit this Programmatic Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Assessment for the Long-Term Management Strategy for the Placement of Dredged Material in the San Francisco Bay Region. This document provides an assessment of the potential effects of the on-going dredging and dredged material placement activities of all federal and non-federal maintenance dredging projects in the action area (see Figure 1.1 located on page 3). The SF Bay LTMS program area spans 11 counties, including: Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco counties. It does not include the mountainous or inland areas far removed from navigable waters. The geographic scope of potential impacts included in this consultation (action area) comprises the estuarine waters of the San Francisco Bay region, portions of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) west of Sherman Island and the western portion of the Port of Sacramento and Port of Stockton deep water ship channels. It also includes the wetlands and shallow intertidal areas that form a margin around the Estuary and the tidal portions of its tributaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Change Adaptation Study APPENDIX
    City of Richmond Climate Change Adaptation Study APPENDIX City of Richmond Climate Action Plan Appendix F: Climate Change Adaptation Study Acknowledgements The City of Richmond has been an active participant in the Contra Costa County Adapting to Rising Tides Project, led by the Bay Conservation Development Commission (BCDC) in partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the State Coastal Conservancy, the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, the San Francisco Estuary Institute, Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and consulting firm AECOM. Environmental Science Associates (ESA) completed this Adaptation Study in coordination with BCDC, relying in part on reports and maps developed for the Adapting to Rising Tides project to assess the City of Richmond’s vulnerabilities with respect to sea level rise and coastal flooding. City of Richmond Climate Action Plan F-i Appendix F: Climate Change Adaptation Study This page intentionally left blank F-ii City of Richmond Climate Action Plan Appendix F: Climate Change Adaptation Study Table of Contents Acknowledgements i 1. Executive Summary 1 1.1 Coastal Flooding 2 1.2 Water Supply 2 1.3 Critical Transportation Assets 3 1.4 Vulnerable Populations 3 1.5 Summary 3 2. Study Methodology 4 2.1 Scope and Organize 4 2.2 Assess 4 2.3 Define 4 2.4 Plan 5 2.5 Implement and Monitor 5 3. Setting 6 3.1 Statewide Climate Change Projections 6 3.2 Bay Area Region Climate Change Projections 7 3.3 Community Assets 8 3.4 Relevant Local Planning Initiatives 9 3.5 Relevant State and Regional Planning Initiatives 10 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Regional Oral History Off Ice University of California the Bancroft Library Berkeley, California
    Regional Oral History Off ice University of California The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California California Land-Use Planning Series SAVE SAN FRANCISCO BAY ASSOCIATION, 1961-1986 with an Introduction by Harold Gilliam and an Afterword by Me1 Scott Interviews with Barry Bunshoft Esther Gulick Catherine Kerr Sylvia McLaughlin Interviews conducted by Malca Chall 1985 and 1986 Copyright @ 1987 by The Regents of the University of California This manuscript is made available for research purposes. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the Director of The Bancroft Library of the Univer- sity of California at Berkeley. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to the Regional Oral History Office, 486 Library, and should include identification of the specific passages to be quoted, anticipated use of the passages, and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: To cite the volume: Save San Francisco Bay Association, 1961-1986, an oral history conducted in 1985 and 1986 by Malca Chall, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft ~ibrar~, University bf calif ornia, Berkeley, 1987. To cite individual interview: Barry Bunshoft, "Save San Francisco Bay Association and the Courts," an oral history conducted in 1986 by Malca.Chal1, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 1987. Copy No. DEDICATION THE SAVE SAN FRANCISCO BAY ASSOCIATION DEDICATES THIS ORAL HISTORY TO THE MEMORY OF DOROTHY
    [Show full text]
  • Historical Fresh Water and Salinity Conditions in the Western Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Bay
    Historical Fresh Water and Salinity Conditions in the Western Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Bay A summary of historical reviews, reports, analyses and measurements Water Resources Department Contra Costa Water District Concord, California February 2010 Technical Memorandum WR10-001 Acknowledgements CCWD would like to thank the City of Antioch for their contribution towards funding a technical review of CCWD's draft report "Trends in Hydrology and Salinity in Suisun Bay and the Western Delta" (June 2007); their review substantially improved the work and led to the final report "Historical Fresh Water and Salinity Conditions in the Western Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Bay". CCWD is grateful to the many reviewers including Richard Denton, Matthew Emrick, Gopi Goteti, Phil Harrington, E. John List, Susan Paulsen, David Pene, Mat Rogers, and Peter Vorster. We also thank the following for sharing their data and analyses: Roger Byrne, Chris Enright, Spreck Rosekrans, and Scott Starratt, and we thank Ann Spaulding for her contributions. i February 12, 2010 Foreword - Establishing the Historical Baseline The watershed of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Delta) provides drinking water to more than 23 million Californians as well as irrigation water for millions of acres of agriculture in the Central Valley. The Delta itself is a complex estuarine ecosystem, with populations of many native species now in serious decline. The Delta estuary as we know it began to form about 6,000 years ago, following the end of the last ice age. Because the estuary is connected to the Pacific Ocean through San Francisco Bay, seawater intrusion causes the salinity of Suisun Bay and the Delta to vary depending on hydrological conditions.
    [Show full text]
  • From the Sierra to the Sea the Ecological History of the San Francisco Bay-Delta Watershed
    From the Sierra to the Sea The Ecological History of the San Francisco Bay-Delta Watershed © 1998 The Bay Institute of San Francisco Second printing, July 2003 The Bay Institute of San Francisco is a non-profit research and advocacy organization which works to protect and restore the ecosystem of the San Francisco Bay/Delta estuary and its watershed. Since 1981, the Institute’s policy and technical staff have led programs to protect water quality and endangered species, reform state and federal water management, and promote comprehensive ecological restoration in the Bay/Delta. Copies of this report can be ordered for $40.00 (includes shipping and handling) from: The Bay Institute of San Francisco 500 Palm Drive Novato, CA 94949 Phone: (415) 506-0150 Fax: (415) 506-0155 www.bay.org The cover is taken from an engraving showing the entrance to the middle fork of the Sacramento River near modern-day Steamboat Slough, in C. Ringgold’s 1852 series of navigational charts and sailing directions for San Francisco Bay and Delta. Printed on recycled paper From the Sierra to the Sea The Ecological History of the San Francisco Bay-Delta Watershed July 1998 The Bay Institute FROM THE SIERRA TO THE SEA: THE ECOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY-DELTA WATERSHED Table of Contents Page CONTRIBUTORS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................. vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY....................................................................................................... ES-1 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION I. Background.......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Toxic Contaminants in the San Francisco Bay-Delta and Their Possible Biological Effects
    TOXIC CONTAMINANTS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY-DELTA AND THEIR POSSIBLE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS DAVID J.H. PHILLIPS AQUATIC HABITAT INSTITUTE 180 Richmond Field Station 1301 South 46th Street Richmond, CA 94804 (415) 231-9539 August 26, 1987 CONTENTS Acknowledgments ................ (i) I . INTRODUCTION ................. 1 I1 . TRACE ELEMENTS IN THE BAY-DELTA . 5 A . Silver .................. 7 B . Copper .................. 40 C . Selenium ................. 68 D . Mercury .................111 E . Cadmium .................133 F . Lead ...................148 G . Zinc ................... 163 H . Chromium .................171 I. Nickel ..................183 J . Tin ...................194 K . Other Trace Elements ...........200 111 . ORGANOCHLORINES IN THE BAY-DELTA .......202 A . Polychlorinated Biphenyls ........205 B . DDT and Metabolites ...........232 C . Other Organochlorines ..........257 IV . HYDROCARBONS IN THE BAY-DELTA ........ 274 A . Introduction ..............274 B . Hydrocarbons in the San Francisco Estuary . 281 C . Summary .................304 V . BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF BAY-DELTA CONTAMINANTS . 306 A . The Benthos of the Bay-Delta ...... 307 B . Fisheries of the Bay-Delta ........ 319 C . Bird Populations ............ 351 D . Mammalian Populations. Including Man . 354 E . Bioassay Data ............. 359 VI . CONCLUSIONS ................. 377 Literature Cited .............. 382 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks are due to a large number of people for their contributions to this document. Staff at the Aquatic Habitat Institute have provided their support, encouragement and talent. These include Andy Gunther, Jay Davis, Susan Prather, Don Baumgartner and Doug Segar. Word processing services were provided by Ginny Goodwind, Emilia Martins, Renee Ragucci, Audi Stunkard, Lori Duncan, and Susan Prather. Tat Cheung and Johnson Tang of the County of Alameda Public Works Agency contributed their time and talent to the preparation of figures. Melissa Blanton copy-edited the text, surviving the requirements of the author in respect of Anglicisation of local terminologies.
    [Show full text]
  • Restoring the Estuary
    1 AA FrameworkFramework forfor CollaborativeCollaborative ActionAction onon WetlandsWetlands US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE etlands in the San Francisco Bay Area are range of interests—including resource and regulato- Wamong the most important coastal wintering ry agencies, environmental organizations, business, and migratory stopover areas for millions of water- and agriculture—convened the San Francisco Bay fowl and shorebirds traveling along the Pacific Fly- Joint Venture (SFBJV) in June of 1995. In September way, which stretches from Alaska to South America. 1996, 20 parties representing this diverse wetlands These wetlands also provide economic benefits, constituency signed a working agreement that iden- offer a range of recreational opportunities, and con- tified the goals and objectives of the SFBJV, and the tribute to a higher quality of life for residents in the responsibilities of its board and working commit- densely populated San Francisco Bay Area. They are tees. The agreement also stated that the Implemen- essential aspects of the Bay region’s unique charac- tation Strategy would be developed to guide its par- ter and, along with the creeks that flow into the Bay, ties toward the long-term vision of the restored Bay help to define the vibrant and distinctive identities Estuary. The signatory partners recognized and of communities around the Bay. However, despite endorsed the goals of the North American Waterfowl their value, destruction of these precious natural Management Plan. However, they enlarged the goals assets continues. Today’s wetlands are only a rem- and objectives of the Plan to include benefits not nant, perhaps 20 percent of the vast wetlands seen only for waterfowl, but also for the other wildlife by the first European settlers.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Feedback from End-Users and Resulting Adaptation of Project Design
    Managing for resilience in the face of climate change: a scientific approach to targeted oyster restoration in San Francisco Bay and Elkhorn Slough, CA A project funded by the National Estuarine Research Reserve System Science Collaborative EARLY FEEDBACK FROM END-USERS AND RESULTING ADAPTATION OF PROJECT DESIGN Kerstin Wasson, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve 4/19/2012 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The goal of our collaborative science project is to provide restoration planning tools to help those engaged in Olympia oyster restoration, policy or strategic planning to choose sites for restoration that will prove sustainable in the face of climate change. Our work will also shed light on likely impacts of selected climate-related stressors, and will determine whether resilience can be enhanced by decreasing exposure to other anthropogenic stressors. Our interdisciplinary team sought early feedback from end-users on the design of project. We sent an electronic survey to people engaged in some aspect of Olympia oyster restoration and presented our project at an oyster working group meeting and in interviews with key participants. We synthesized the results from the 48 survey respondents. Our project team thoroughly reviewed the input, and adapted the project design in response. The feedback and our response to the major components of the survey is summarized below. Focus of new science: All of our proposed focus questions for new scientific inquiry scored as moderately to very important for designing sustainable restoration strategies. The top-scoring focus areas were understanding how climate-related stressors affect oyster growth and survival, and identifying which sites have the lowest stressor levels and thus are most likely to support successful restoration projects.
    [Show full text]
  • THE BAY INSTITUTE Ecological Scorecard SAN FRANCISCO BAY INDEX 2003 © 2003 the Bay Institute of San Francisco
    THE BAY INSTITUTE Ecological Scorecard SAN FRANCISCO BAY INDEX 2003 © 2003 The Bay Institute of San Francisco The Bay Institute (TBI) is a non-profit research, education and advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the ecosystems of San Francisco Bay, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and the estuary’s tributary rivers, streams, and watersheds. Since 1981, TBI’s policy and scientific experts have worked to secure stronger protections for endangered species and habitats; improve water quality; reform how California manages its water resources; and promote comprehensive ecological restoration from the Sierra to the sea. To order copies of the 2003 Bay Index, or a CD of the report and the Technical Appendix, contact: The Bay Institute 500 Palm Drive, Suite 200 Novato, CA 94949 Phone: (415) 506-0150 Fax: (415) 506-0155 www.bay.org The entire 2003 Bay Index report and Technical Appendix can also be downloaded from our website at www.bay.org. The 2003 San Francisco Bay Index, and the Bay-Delta Ecological Scorecard Project of which it is a part, were made possible by the generous financial support of the Compton Foundation, Inc.; the Mary A. Crocker Trust; the Fred Gellert Family Foundation; the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund; the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; the Marin Community Foundation; the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment; the San Francisco Foundation (Switzer Environmental Leadership Program); the San Francisco Estuary Project; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the Weeden Foundation; and the Dean Witter Foundation, as well as individual supporters of the Bay Institute. Cover photo: Napa Slough, by David Sanger.
    [Show full text]