ESTUARY 1 y a B • s e i c e p s • s c i t i l o p • d e h s r e t a w • n o i t a r o t s e r • e c n e i c s RECYCLING OUTSIDE San Francisco Estuary Partnership THE ESTUARY New Grey BOX reas in A the Waterless PlumbiThereng Code was no sign of shirking Water Closets? NEWS Advocates of water when 50 school kids began Never mind the wh digging holes and planting buckeye saplings at the former Hamilton airbase. These kids weren’t just playing at restoration, they were actually doing it.... see p.3

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JUNE 2012 VOL. 21, NO. 3

INSIDE Kids Plant Trees ...... 3 Bird and Vet Refuge . . 4 Goofy Sturgeon ...... 5 Delta Flow Stations . . . . .6 Legendary Lady ...... 9 Grey Water . . . . . 10 2 JUNE 2012 3 ESTUARY NEWS YOUTH e d U c a t i o n SPEAKS BRIEFS Ballast Water Belt- Native Watershed Tightening: Federal agencies are Vegetation Research: A new Watershed tightening controls on ballast water, US Forest Service classification of a major vector for invasive aquatic watershed conditions in the National Kids Dig Futures at a Glance species on the West Coast. The US Forests is paving the way for more Saving Coast Guard’s new standard for the research on vegetation condition Fifty kids from fourth and second “I like knowing that I’m helping allowable concentration of living and invasive species spread. As a grades scattered across a barren the environment,” said fourth- the World Smelt Hotel at Davis: organisms in discharged water took result, the Native Plant field on a recent spring morning to grader Sriha Srinivasan. Other are picky when it comes to things like effect June 21, 2012. Lieutenant Society recently received funding to ply the dirt with adult-sized shovels students also echoed the ecologi- I grew up loving the outdoors, play- temperature, salinity and turbidity. Rebecca Deakin, speaking at the Bay add to the knowledge base of plants and hoes. They were putting in a cal principles that they had been ing in the dirt, and being one with the Getting these variables to resemble Planning Coalition’s Ballast Water and habitats at the watershed level. morning’s work planting buckeye taught in the classroom before the bugs. I pressed flowers and made mud “natural” estuarine conditions is Briefing in Oakland on June 7, said The Society launched pilot fieldwork and live oak saplings at the former field trip. “It’ll help the animals pies. As I grew older my connection to tough to accomplish in university re- ships built after December 1, 2013 projects this summer in the San Hamilton Air Force Base as part of because it should give them more nature changed. I ran cross country in search tanks. “Delta smelt don’t like must meet the new requirements; Bernardino and Plumas National a program called habitat,” said high school and loved traversing the to be in clear water, don’t like a lot of existing ships will be phased in Forests, with additional sites to be STRAW (Stu- nine-year-old local hiking trails. While my classmates light, and don’t like to be by them- over a five-year period. The agency determined. dents and Teach- Wesley Souder. debated becoming doctors, lawyers, selves, which makes them perhaps considers the standard as the tight- ers Restoring A “There’s going or engineers I knew that my place was the most challenging fish we have to est than can be implemented and Watershed). Every to be forests,” outside; I decided to study the environ- work with,” says UC Davis fish biolo- enforced at this time. Meanwhile, the Water Board Appointments: year, the program one second- mental sciences. gist Nann Fangue. But the main Davis US Environmental Protection Agency Felicia Marcus and Steven Moore, helps more than grade boy said. I graduated with my Bachelors degree campus has a new experimental is revising its Vessel General Per- longtime friends of the San Fran- 3,000 students get “Animals,” from UC San Diego in the spring of 2009, facility, including three recirculating mit in light of both the Coast Guard cisco Estuary Partnership, have been their hands dirty added another, not a good year for the economy. Since systems, where many of the variables regulations and California’s more tapped for the State Water Resourc- through a cur- as a third glee- very few of my fellow graduates, my- that affect smelt survival can be ma- stringent standards. es Control Board by Governor Brown. riculum focused fully chimed in self included, had jobs lined up it was nipulated. While UC Davis cultures Marcus, western director at the on science and with, “Bugs!” difficult to throw our caps up in the air Delta smelt in a state-of-the-art lab Natural Resources Defense Council, environment — and take the world by storm. Still, I had in Byron, this is the first on-campus also serves on the Delta Stewardship and responsibility. Though the facility where scientists can really Council. Moore, a civil and sanitary Photo by Jacoba Charles entire restora- made the smart choice; I was graduating work on how all life stages of this en- engineer with Nute Engineering, is a “This isn’t just kids playing at tion site at the with a degree in Environmental Sci- dangered fish respond to changes in current member of the San Francis- doing something,” said Laurette Hamilton Air Base covers 2,500 ence and I was needed! From what I’d environmental conditions, and study co Bay Regional Water Quality Con- Rogers, who founded the program, acres, the trees the kids planted learned environmental catastrophe was the pickiest life stage of all, larva. trol Board and was formerly a board now hosted by the Point Reyes Bird can easily be seen from a nearby imminent and I’d better get out there engineer. Moore also serves on the Observatory, 20 years ago. “They public trail. And that’s a big advan- and solve some pressing problems. A editorial board of Estuary News. The know they’re actually doing it, and tage according to STRAW’s Rogers. good place to start had to be… permit- Got Ants? The San Francisco Estu- appointments require Senate confir- that makes a difference.” A lot of kids like to go back and ting? check on how the restoration is ary Partnership is gearing up for a mation. And the students of Rancho El- Permitting? That isn’t what I would coming along — months or even fall outreach program to inform the ementary School in Novato seemed have said my career goal was as an un- The largest containership ever to visit years later. Fourth-grader Ashley public about handling ants in the to enjoy the challenge. After piling dergrad. But three years, a Masters de- North America docked at Oakland this Urrea is already looking forward to home without causing environmental Valley Groundwater Gets off the bus, they gathered in a semi- gree, and several internships later I have March. Photo courtesy . that. “The neatest thing is that we’ll damage. According to the Partner- a Physical: San Joaquin Valley circle on the dirt and sparse grass a different view of the environmental get to see the plants grow over time ship’s Athena Honore, data show that farmers used enough groundwater where an airport runway once stood. science field. I have found that my inter- and say, ‘I made the world a better urban areas use more pesticides than between 2006 and 2009 to fill Lake STRAW instructors showed them est lies in the arena of place,’” she said. farms, with ants the most common Scenic River Repeal? Rallying Mead, according to a new study by the proper way to use their tools and environmental permit- target. Those used for indoor and out- to the defense of the Merced River, Bridget Scanlon of the University of handle the plants. Then, in groups It is not just the world that is ting and management. door ant control are extremely toxic to Friends of the River has urged Sena- Texas at Austin and US Geological of four, they began to scrape away being helped, observed second- This means that I have stream life, even at very low con- tor Dianne Feinstein to oppose HR Survey scientists. But depletion is weeds and dig their holes. grade teacher Sue Spry. Kids of all never lobbied to save centrations. The education program 2578. The bill, introduced by Repre- worse in the High Plains, including different learning abilities seem to the endangered polar “There’s a lot of clay in the soil,” will employ a “mix of media,” says sentative Jeff Denham (R-Merced), the Texas Panhandle. While Scan- enjoy the program. She pointed out bear, but I do know observed fourth-grader Michael Honore, including advertising, a web would repeal federal wild and scenic lon and her colleagues say water one little girl who is autistic and how to avoid the acci- Griffin. “It takes teamwork to get site and Facebook. SFEP will part- river protection for the Merced to banking has the potential to support has trouble in the classroom—but dental taking of a gray it done.” ner with 50 organizations statewide, allow expansion of the McClure Valley agriculture, they warn that out here she is doing just fine. fish called the Santa Ana sucker. While including leaders in IPM, structural Reservoir. HR 2578 has cleared irrigated farming is no longer sus- The second-grade girls in one I respect the lone activist chained to “I can’t say enough about what pest control, and stormwater and the House Committee on Natural tainable in the southern High Plains. group were so small that several the redwood I understand that a Habitat a positive experience this is,” said wastewater management. Resources but has not been voted on of them needed to jump together Mitigation Plan can save an ecosystem. Spry. “The kids remember it, they by the full House. Earlier this spring, on their shovel to drive it into the take pride in it, they pick up trash With this in mind, I feel that my child- Feinstein stated that she was “not SHARE YOUR NEWS? Tell us what’s earth. Yet there was no sign of Bird Building Collisions: Gold- at school because of it. It offers a hood self wouldn’t mind the cubicle too advancing legislation on behalf of going on in your corner of the water- shirking or flagging. Once they got en Gate Audubon, Citizens for East connection to nature, and lets them much. Yes, I will save the planet through this project at this time.” The House shed, or send us a story idea. Ariel their sapling in the ground, they Shore Parks, and other groups are know that they have the power to permitting. RW recently approved another Denham Okamoto: [email protected] took turns lugging buckets of wood fighting a proposal to allow new six do something.” JC amendment to block federal funding or Estuary News, 1515 Clay Street, chips across the field to use for story (100-foot-high) buildings at the for reintroducing salmon in the San Suite 1400, Oakland, CA 94612 mulch. Then they scrunched their STRAW Rebecca Whiteside worked most recently for north end of Berkeley’s Aquatic Park. Joaquin River. Contact: The current height limit is 45 feet. faces up and in unison yelled “plant www.prbo.org/cms/192 the Orange County Water District monitor- At a hearing this May, the groups inspection” at the top of their lungs. ing groundwater and doing GIS work. She is COVER PHOTO: Jacoba Charles expressed concerns about collision A STRAW instructor then came 25, married, and moving to the Bay Area in to check their work before they risks to the birds that inhabit the search of work. park’s lagoons. started digging another hole. 4 JUNE 2012 5 ESTUARY NEWS adaptive ENDANGERED manage H abitat ment Peace For Goofy Sturgeon Behavior ets erns Mercury Stays Put V &T If a delta smelt bangs against a metal river channel, a flume that is a fish screen at an irrigation intake meter-and-a-half-long and a me- Late this May, regional water qual- more than three times, it’s usually ter wide. While swimming, the fish The cracked tarmac of the former ity regulators gave the goahead to open history. But the larger endangered encounter two sets of screens and Naval Air Station is one of three out of eight gates in a levee along fish they share louvers, and experience a variety of the world’s most incongruous bird Alviso Slough, as new data reveal little habitat with – green sturgeon and water velocities and light conditions sanctuaries, but it looks erosion of mercury-tainted sediments in Chinook salmon — may come away — tests have even been conducted in like home to California Northwest OAKLAND Photo: Eleanor Briccetti the slough bottom. unscathed, given the right human pitch dark with infrared cameras and least terns. The endan- Territories precautions. A UC Davis research night vision goggles. Each fish is in Mindful of the mercury deposited gered terns that nest and Outpatient Recently, the VA bon’s Mike Lynes. “But it’s about as Clinic Area team led by fish ecologist Nann the flume for about 15 minutes, and here over decades, due to the area’s fledge here are helping agreed to move the good a deal as we think we can get.” Fangue is now investigating if the team does about 20 tests per day. location downstream of what was once propagate the species medical center far- According to VA chief of public af- deterrents such as strobe lights, It takes 20-30 days of testing to get a the world’s largest quicksilver mine, by establishing other Tern Colony ther from tern terri- fairs Robin Jackson, the columbarium fast moving water, metal screens good sample size, says Cocherell. managers of the 15,000-acre South Bay colonies around the Bay. tory. And the East Bay NCA Cemetery A lameda Regional Parks District will occupy no more than 80 acres, and louver racks could help these Salt Pond Restoration project have been But the habitat of these The research is still in has plans to create 1766 feet from the tern colony at its fish steer clear of water proceeding slowly with efforts to reintro- seabirds has been in the pilot, data collection wetlands that the birds nearest point. But Fish and Wildlife intakes. duce water into its southernmost ponds. bureaucratic limbo since stage, but Cocherell says could use on an adjacent parcel in the was unable get the VA to agree not to No one wants to trigger a sudden release the base closed in 1994. While the air Sturgeon aren’t very they’re poised to start so-called Northwest Territories. expand their facility in the future. of mercury into fledgling wetlands and station is still owned by the Navy, it’s used to steering clear pulling together results. “The first step is to accept the shorebird habitat. But the prospects for provisionally overseen by the US Fish There is one hitch: the proposed of anything. As adults, Anything that looks further restoration look good. and Wildlife Service. Now a new con- wetlands tract belongs to the City of proposal; the second hurdle will be the they’re so big and so promising, in terms of figuration may be taking shape. Alameda. Although the city obtained details,” says refuge advocate Leora difficult to chew, ar- what keeps sturgeon Scientists recently completed a Feeney. She hopes the new interagen- mored as they are with away from agricul- preliminary assessment aimed at pin- Eight years ago, the Navy proposed the land from the Navy for free, of- cy partnership will result in protection rigid “scutes,” that few tural diversions, will get ning down exactly how much erosion handing over a portion of the base ficials are demanding compensation for the tern and the establishment of predators favor them tested on a larger scale occurred, and how much mercury was near the terns’ nest site to the Depart- from the Park District. The conflict the new park: “With sea levels ris- as food. Even juveniles in the coming years, mobilized, as a result of the breaching ment of Veterans Affairs for a medical has forestalled plans for the new park. ing, the Northwest Territories will be seem to have the fear- scientists hope. In the of Pond A6 in December 2010 and the center and columbarium, a repository In the meantime, however, the VA has wetlands whether we want it or not.” less mentality of adults. meantime, they’ve no- opening of the one gate into Pond A8 for the ashes of cremated veterans. promised to minimize disturbance to JE & ARO “A six-foot-long-stur- ticed a few things about between June and December 2011 (the The proposal generated opposition the birds, and Fish and Wildlife will geon is not going to be green sturgeon. rest of the year the gates were closed from the Audubon chap- continue its management role. Contact: Robin Jackson, eaten by much, except to protect migrating salmon). They ter, and several other environmental [email protected] or Mike Lynes, “It’s still a compromise, because maybe a killer whale,” says conser- First, unlike salmon who respond compared the results of 2005, 2010 and groups concerned about potential [email protected] the columbarium will be on the refuge vation biologist Dennis Cocherell, quickly to changing conditions, 2011 bathymetric surveys conducted by impacts on the terns. footprint,” says Golden Gate Audu- coordinator of the UC Davis studies sturgeon are more “goofy” and slow. the state-of the-art USGS catamaran on sturgeon, and how they behave Send a pulse of fast water down the R/V Snavely. They also took into account around fish screens. flume and a salmon starts swimming mercury concentrations measured in “The Corps’ current one-size-fits- agencies have been scratching their against it immediately. But sturgeon deep cores sunk by USGS’ Mark Marvin Capital all national vegetation policy will have heads over how to continue to keep Green sturgeon may not be very sometimes don’t move at all during DiPasquale. Results suggest that very BEAT a negative impact on public safety, on the Corps happy on the levee safety vulnerable as adults in the ocean, an experiment. “They’re not always little erosion or deposition, or mobili- the environment, and on the cost of front while continuing ongoing levee but they are as juveniles spawned in that motivated or interested in water zation of mercury, occurred in Alviso our levee projects,” Matsui said in a restoration and maintenance projects. the Sacramento River system like velocity, and fast flows don’t send Slough after the A8 notch opening. May 18 press release. The State Water Resources Control salmon. In the four months after them into a panic,” says Fangue. Board has repeatedly warned that they’ve hatched near the Red Bluff “The majority of the erosion occurred Matsui’s Levee Vegetation Review Likewise, sturgeon seem to remain Levee Policy the policy would result in removal of Dam and before they can tolerate salt around the Pond A6 breach locations,” Act addresses concerns that the pretty mellow when the team sends riparian vegetation and would con- water, a striped bass or catfish might says USGS’ Laura Valoppi, lead scien- Mismatch Corps is imposing a uniform policy vibrations through the flume screens flict with the Porter-Cologne Act. The eat them, or they could get sucked tist for the restoration project. “Pond that disregards local conditions. The similar to those made by predators. The debate over whether to allow California Central Valley Flood Control into one of the river’s estimated A8 itself actually seems to be getting Act would require the Secretary of the Many fish species pick up these vibra- vegetation on California’s thousands Association pointed to implementa- 320 unscreened agricultural water cleaner, if we look at methyl mercury in Army to undertake a comprehensive tions via sensory “lateral lines” along of miles of levees moved into a new tion costs and cited the Corps’ long- diversions. And nobody wants to see the water column.” Preliminary analysis review of the Corps’ policy guidelines their sides, but sturgeon don’t seem arena this May, with the introduction standing practice of encouraging levee that happen. Experts estimate that suggests only 25 – 50 centimeters of bed on vegetation management for levees, to respond in the same way. Cocher- of HR 5831 by Representative Doris vegetation for wildlife habitat and there are only 10-28 annual spawn- sediments eroded in the areas in Alviso considering factors that promote ell sees more promise in the strobe Matsui (D-Sacramento). The vegeta- erosion protection. In a rare bipartisan ing adult green sturgeon left in the Slough downstream of the A6 breaches, potential variances from national lights, which do seem to get the atten- tion issue has been at the center of a move, 35 members of the California Sacramento River watershed. “That with up to one meter of erosion di- guidelines. The scope of an approved tion of the sturgeon. “We haven’t quite dispute between the US Army Corps Congressional delegation had previ- is a tiny number,” says Fangue. “So rectly adjacent to the breaches. And the variance could include an exemption figured out whether it’s a deer in the of Engineers and state and local ously criticized the guidelines. Thirty from the perspective of conservation, amount of total mercury mobilized in from national guidelines. The bill also headlights effect, or if they’re actually resource agencies, prompted by dis- of them have signed on to Matsui’s and maintenance of diversity, they’re Alviso Slough from the Pond A6 breach sets a two-year deadline for revis- trying to stay away from the lights,” he satisfaction with the latest version of bill, which is being referred to the one of most important species for us was 10-20 times less than projected. ARO ing the current guidelines to include says. But strobe lights can be tricky to the Corps’ vegetation management House Transportation and Infrastruc- to look at.” procedures for developing regional or use as a deterrent. Contact: Laura Valoppi, guidelines which include a complex ture Committee. JE UC Davis is looking hard. Through- [email protected] or for a map: variance approval process and no ex- basin-wide variances. Contact: Kyle Victor, out this last six months, Fangue’s continued to back page www.southbayrestoration.org/maps/ emptions for projects already autho- Ever since the new one-size-fits all [email protected] group has been “swimming” stur- rized and constructed. guidelines were released, California geon through the university’s mini 6 JUNE 2012 ESTUARY NEWS delta from the Sacramento River, was north. Typically, is saltier than Network Middle River at this location, suggesting TECHNOLOGY call the big “noise” of the tides. At the answered with the installation of the Jersey Point Station, for example, daily Snapshot first hydro-acoustic meter at Freeport the former carries the lion’s share of the water from the western delta. The 14-day peak tidal flows can be on the order The flow station network developed in 1978. A decade later, water manag- Measuring Flow: The Master Variable of 150,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), ers and scientists wanted to monitor average of the sum of the Old and Middle over time in response to a series of River flows is known as OMR and appears while the net flow may be 2,000 cfs or questions. The first question, how the influence of the export facilities Stand on a tule island at the junc- and federal water managers use flow less. According to Burau, this means on the north-to-south movement of in numerous regulatory documents and much fresh water was flowing into the court cases. tion of two delta channels and you’d station network data to make critical continued to page 8 water from central to south delta. So think you could tell which way the daily decisions about how much fresh they installed two more Sutter-Steamboat Corridor - Sutter water was flowing. Surely anything water they can pump to cities and 122°00' 121°45' 121°30' 121°15' acoustic velocity meters at and Steamboat Sloughs are significant that looks so much like a river natu- farms, and when and where. Wildlife Old River at 80 Sacramento conveyance channels that carry, at times, rally flows downstream, from the hills scientists also use this information and at Middle River (1987). half of the water that passes the city of to the sea? But the Delta is not a to protect fish species endangered by Sacramento In the early 1990s, water Sacramento. Sutter Slough carries the one-way system, nor is nature entirely pumping and loss of habitat. In Cali- River project operators installed bulk of the net flow; at the controls. Throw in ocean tides fornia’s long history of wrangles over two stations in the Wal- is much more strongly tidally-affected. 38 30' coming in and out, pumps directing water, many resulting court decisions, ° Delta area nut Grove area, so they The flows in both of these channels are FPT water from here to there, and sea- biological opinions, and water qual- San San Joaquin could find out how much strongly influenced by Sacramento River sonal ups and downs, and the only ity standards have become, to some Francisco Freeport flows and gate opera- River ater water was flowing from people who can really tell which way extent, reliant on the numbers spit out the Sacramento River into tions. Hydrodynamics data gathered from er the water is flowing at any given time by the flow stations. Riv the central Delta through SUT and STM is important in the study of or place aren’t standing on a tule the Delta Cross Channel salmon outmigration. The one number everyone has Ship Channel Sutter/ island. They’re sitting in a dark room and , the – The flows entering the staring at computer screens showing wanted from these submerged out- Steamboat Sacramento Deep W so-called Delta Transfer posts scattered throughout the delta is delta from the Yolo Bypass are computed the minute-by-minute measurements Elk Slough HoodCorridor Flow. Finally, a combina- the ‘”net flow, or the amount of water as the flow in Cache Slough (CCH), minus of the USGS flow station network. tion of four stations in the the flow in Miner Slough (MIN). The com- flowing in a channel with the tidal flows SUT 5 er south delta were installed putation also measures the tidal and net The network is pretty comprehen- averaged out. In the early days, getting Delta onsumnes Sutt C to estimate delta flow to exchanges into the Liberty Island/Cache sive. Over three decades, and with the this number involved a lot more than a Slough Transfer Slough the export pumps. Below is Slough region, an area slated for sig- help of various state and local agen- few clicks on a key pad. The technology MIN WGA STM Flow a description of the groups nificant restoration efforts. Moreover this cies, USGS has installed 33 stations at to measure the pulse of fresh water Fairfield Creek 38°15' DWS t M of stations used to address region is one of the few places where delta what scientist Jon Burau calls “every moving through a system overwhelmed WGB DCC okelumne y LIB Island Dr specific regional scale smelt are consistently captured. hydro-dynamically significant flow with twice-daily ocean tides simply did Yolo Bypass GEO eamboa questions. CCH t SFM split or confluence” in the landscape not exist before the mid 1970s. Particu- S NFM System Exchange - Grand of the delta’s 700 miles of channels larly challenging was to try to extract Delta Outflow -The sum Most of the Sacramento River water that is 12 er iv Mokelumne (see map). Most of these stations this number in the 500 meter wide R of the measured flows from exported south of the delta flows through River System R employ a gizmo called a sideward- channels in the delta. RIO yler Island iv stations at Rio Vista (RIO), the Mokelumne River system. When the Rio Vista T er looking acoustic Doppler current pro- Brannan Staten Island Exchange Three Mile Slough (TMS), San Delta Cross Channel gates are open this But that’s exactly what the state’s Lodi filer, mounted on a piling or channel Threemile Slough Island Andrus Joaquin River at Jersey Point region is essentially riverine, but when the Department of Water Resources Is 12 marker. These devices bounce sound to Bouloin Is (JPT) and Dutch Slough (DCH) gates are closed, this system is virtually Salinity TMS MOK LPS (DWR) set out to do in the late 1920s. amen are used to estimate delta tidal. The data from the MOK and LPS waves off particles in the water across Control Gate acr DEC Researchers first stretched a cable S Webb San Joaquin outflow. Delta outflow is a key stations may also be relevant to salmon entire river channels, measuring flow, Tract Venice across the channel, called a tag line, Sherm an FAL Is King River/Central outmigration, and critical in monitoring the also called “discharge,” as a volume Island ORS Mandeville Is Is ecosystem metric because it then attached their boat to the cable. PRI system’s response to the proposed resto- per time (such as cubic feet of water 160 JPT Delta Exchanges is a measure of water received As the boat moved through 12-24 MLD Jersey MRC ration of McCormack-Williamson Tract and per second). Small solar panels power Is 99 by (i.e. stations along the cable, they used a 4 Colum bia inputs less exports and con- Staten Island. the sensors, and help them relay the Antioch DCH HOL ORQ Cut S 38°00' Bacon an Joaquin device called a Price AA meter to take Old TRN sumptive use). information they collect to computers Is Turner /Central individual water velocity measure- Cut in operations rooms and science labs OLD Stockton Delta Transfer Flow - The Delta Exchanges- Exchanges of water ments. By summing the flow curves at Delta Outflow Palm MID throughout California. Tract delta transfer flow is comput- from the San Joaquin River into the central each station between tidal peaks, DWR R Middle River Discovery iv M STK ed as the difference between delta are important for understanding how “We happen to have a flowing produced a snapshot of net discharge Bay er iddle Old & the flows measured at sta- system, and it’s flowing not just in one at that time and place. Roberts the salt and sediment fields evolve. The Middle Island tions WGA and WGB, two flow four stations used to calculate this ex- 4 R direction but it’s flowing every which iver R “These were incredibly labor-in- Rivers ORF iv stations located near Walnut change are Turner Cut (TRN), Middle River way, because of tides, and rivers com- Export Flows er tensive, even Herculean, field efforts, KEY VIC ictoria Grove. The calculation helps north of (MRC), Old River ing together, and pumping,” says Anke Flows V working with multiple boats over 24- Clifton Court Canal Union Island water managers estimate north of Frank’s Tract near the conflu- Mueller-Solger, Lead Scientist of the Flow Stations Forebay the amount of Sacramento ence of the San Joaquin and Mokelumne hour periods, but they did an amazingly GLC Grant Line Canal Interagency Ecological Program for River water that flows into Rivers (OSJ) and False River (FAL). These the Delta Stewardship Council. “Un- accurate job given the technology they Station Groups had,” says USGS scientist Jon Burau. State Water Project DMC the central delta through the exchanges strongly influence the rate of derstanding anything in this system These groups draw data Pumping Plant Mokelumne system (the Delta entrainment of salmon outmigrants into must start with a good understanding 132 Eight decades later in the 2010s, from 22 of the 33 individual Central Valley Project Cross Channel and Georgiana the central delta. of flow, and how that interacts with measuring net flow involves equally, if 37°45' stations in the delta’s flow Pumping Plant Slough). The delta transfer station network. Exports – The partitioning of water enter- more stationary variables like channel not more, complex efforts, but technol- 580 flow is critical for maintain- geometry, physical habitat, sediment ogy and computers do most of the heavy Tracy ing salinity standards in the ing the federal and state export facilities beds, and point sources of pollution. lifting. The biggest challenge overcome central delta. from the various “feeder” channels is obtained from the following stations: Old Flow is a dynamic master variable.” by the hydrodynamics team of the 0 4 8 12 MILES VNR Old and Middle Rivers – River near the Forebay (ORF), Victoria Ca- USGS California Water Science Center, 5 Fresh water flow is also something The sum of the flows at nal (VIC), Grant Line Canal (GLC), and Delta which runs the network, has been to 0 4 8 12 KILOMETERS 25 million Californians rely on — for Vernalis stations OLD and MID Mendota Canal (DMC). drinking and irrigation water — in find a way — through data collection, represent the flow to the what has been called the “most man- math and modeling — to isolate the export facilities from the small signal (net flow) from what they aged watershed in the country.” State Location of USGS-operated flow station sites in the Delta. Source: USGS, CWSC 8 JUNE 2012 9 ESTUARY NEWS P eople REPORT Flow, continued from page 6 “wake-up” signal to the underwater Tract was a net sink, or trap, for fish OUT that to correctly measure the net flow station. As they watched, a beach ball food, and that Mildred Island was a his team has to be accurate in its tidal sized orange buoy leapt out of the net source. You can’t do that without Honoring a Legendary Lady estimates for Jersey Point to within one water into the air right in front of the the flow stations to determine the flux percent. “Even a small bias in our tidal fishermen, then splashed down hard. at those boundaries,” says Sereno. San Francisco Bay has been by the people in Redwood City who “It scared the hell out of them, it was a fortunate in its champions. had battled Mobil, and so proud of estimates can indicate completely er- Station measurements also be- Ebb Tide in terrible trick,” says Burau. Florence LaRiviere, cofounder with how the 1982 Redwood City refer- roneous net flows, possibly in the wrong come useful for entities like the State direction,” he says. Collecting the data is one thing, her husband Philip of Committee to endum went. Audubon’s help was Restoration Water Resources Control Board, or Complete the Refuge, has focused particularly valuable; they paid for a One way the team detects er- using it another. According to IEP’s other regulators, when they are trying Funding Mueller-Solger, the data from the on saving wetlands in the South Bay, full-page ad in the New York Times. rors is by cross-checking data with to determine compliance with flow lobbying for the creation and later flow stations nearby. The team uses flow station network is useful in two objectives, water export standards, and What’s your favorite marsh? Support for conservation is cycli- obvious ways. First, everyone uses it expansion of the Don Edwards San groups of stations, for example, to biological opinions created to protect Francisco Bay Na- Any one I can get to. I cal, says John Woodbury, who worked verify localized inputs and outputs of to calibrate and validate their hydro- the beneficial uses of the system’s wa- particularly like stand- with State Senator Byron Sher to draft dynamic models, not only simpler tional Wildlife Refuge water, and localized “storage.” To get ter and fish. “Real time measurements and blocking develop- ing on the hill at the legislation that enacted the San Fran- more information about what’s going “mass balance” equations like the of flow help us do a number of things,” Fremont refuge head- cisco Bay Area Conservancy Program much-used “Dayflow” calculation of ment at on at each location, the team has also says the Board’s Leslie Grober. “They and Mayhews Land- quarters. To the east in 1997. The 1970s exploded with added another gizmo called a “CTD” delta outflow, but also in more sophis- help us to determine compliance with you can see where the federal laws to protect air, water, and ticated 3-D computer models of where ing. A restored tidal to many stations. These devices mea- flow objectives, to adjust flows in real buildings end and the land. Attempts to back the momentum water might flow in the future given marsh in Fremont sure electrical conductivity (salt) and time to make them more functional for refuge begins; to west, with funding fizzled during the Reagan sea level rise, levee failure, or the bears the LaRivieres’ turbidity (sediment in the water). fish, and to decide on future changes name. Most recently, a lot of ponds we own years in the ‘80s, and continued into construction of a new canal to reroute but Cargill still makes the late ‘90s. But in the Bay Area, the Despite all the automation, things based on how species responded to the 88-year-old water around the delta’s biological salt on. Leslie Salt was first decade of the 21st century will go do go wrong with the flow stations. weak spots. “If you don’t have any flow actual recorded flows.” great-grandmother was honored by the going to have a city down in history as a conservation boom “Electronics and water don’t get along Photo: Carin High stations to groundtruth delta models, Regardless of water management’s there. When I went to period thanks to willing taxpayers and too good,” says you lose all faith Environmental Law reliance on the data, only a few of Institute as Wetland Washington I asked my the work of the Conservancy. Burau. Passersby in predicting the flow stations are currently man- kids what to tell people there. They can’t help but be what will hap- Community Leader of the Year in In May, the Conser- dated by the State Board, the agency Washington, DC. said: “Tell them the condominiums curious about pen with new with the regulatory authority over would be marching to the edge of vancy issued a 32-page the bright shiny water projects,” withdrawals of water from the delta. How did you get involved with the water.” report that highlights devices sitting says Deanna wetland conservation? When my an impressive array Mueller-Solger thinks such mandates What’s your most memorable out in the water Sereno, an en- are a two edged sword. On the good husband and I moved from Berkeley of accomplishments on posts. “If the gineer with the to Palo Alto, we found Palo Alto very negotiation? That would be the over the last 15 side, you have long term security and Carruf property near Cushing Bou- fishing’s bad, Contra Costa consistency in monitoring; on the bad hot. In the evening we’d put supper years, including the folks start fooling levard in Fremont. We were trying to permanent pro- Water District. side, as management questions and in a basket and take the kids to the around with our get that just because it was on the tection of nearly technology change, mandates can get edge of the Bay. The road stopped at equipment,” says Though edge of the Bay and seasonal wet- 85,000 acres of in the way of needed updates. the old harbormaster’s house, where Burau. Most of Sereno doesn’t land. I walked out there with some land. Funds from use flow station someone had put a picnic table. It’s the time, USGS One thing scientists from many friends. All of a sudden over a little voter-approved state bond mea- data much for lovely—the marsh in the evening. The can tell if equip- USGS also uses robot boats to monitor flows. The hummock we came upon a vernal sures 12, 40, 50, and 84 flowed through day-to-day dis- agencies agree on now is the need to tide moves the cordgrass, and the ment’s malfunc- ten-foot-long-length of these boats, which are pool. I’d never seen one before. We the Conservancy to support 425 trict operations, “co-locate” data collection. As re- birds cry. Then we learned what was tioning remotely, equipped with acoustic Doppler current profilers, searchers measure variables, such happening to Bay wetlands: sewage got that land. They were going to projects that improved the health of 50 she does use it build on it but went into bankruptcy using telemetry enables them to span the 4-5 foot wave lengths as turbidity, salinity, plankton, or fish outfalls, garbage dumps, salt ponds. creeks and rivers, planned or restored common in wide delta channels without bobbing. for other pur- and a bank in Los Angeles had it. and a “data crawl- numbers, the value of this information In Palo Alto a convention center was 34,793 acres of wetlands, and added er” that looks at The robot boats also maintain a much steadier poses. A couple The bank backed off on developing it 200 miles to four regional trails. course than any heavier, human-controlled vessel. years ago, when is enhanced if they also have informa- planned, covering that lovely marsh key status vari- with concrete. because of local opposition. It turned the district was tion on the hydrodynamic context from out to have endangered species of The report also acknowledges that ables such as the same time and place. electrical power. “If any of our stations building a new drinking water intake Arthur Oglevie, a Santa Clara fairy shrimp. It’s about the last vernal we are on the downside of the fund- fail any of our tests, the crawler sends at Victoria Canal, Sereno was alarmed Experts say the flow station net- County planner, wrote in the Mercury pool habitat near the Bay. ing cycle. “It’s not likely that we’ll see us a text,” he says. Even with all the one day to see a spike in turbidity. work will become even more founda- News: “If you’re worried about what’s these investment levels in the near Sereno checked to see if the spike was happening to the marshes, come to Who else has inspired you? All of future,” said Amy Hutzel, the Conser- remote fail-safes, something’s always tional to delta planning in the future. the biology department at San Jose up when you have 35 stations running coming from up or downstream of the “When we start putting in new con- my office tomorrow at 10 am.” There vancy’s Bay Area manager. The fallout State; they would stand around at from a downsized Conservancy will be 24-7. Burau estimates his techs are nearest flow station. “Since the flow veyance facilities and doing marsh were 20–30 people there; that started and turbidity data are paired, it was city council meetings until 1 AM in felt region wide. out in a boat doing repairs and site restoration, we’re going to change the campaign for the refuge. We went easy to determine that it was com- the morning. And our members are maintenance, and collecting calibra- the hydrodynamics and transport to Representative Don Edwards. “If “The Conservancy Program jump- ing from the opposite direction from wonderful—all volunteers; we have tion data, at least three times a week. processes in the delta dramatically. you people want it, it sounds right to started the ,” our intake, and that our construction no paid staff. me,” he said. says Laura Thompson, the trail’s In places with a lot of boat or shore- wasn’t the cause,” she says. So what you want to do in that situ- ation is monitor it now, so you know Republicans and Democrats alike What’s ahead for the Committee? project manager. The Program helped line traffic, USGS will sometimes hide The refuge is not complete. There are its flow station entirely underwater Sereno remembers working on a how it works, and then again, when signed on. We went to city councils, fund all phases of many new trail sec- big research study as a graduate stu- you make the change, so you’ll know Kiwanis clubs, everywhere. One missing pieces in Redwood City and tions from conception to construction. by tethering it to an anchor and buoy Newark. Sea level rise has given us system. The buoy has an acoustic dent aimed at tracking phytoplankton what’s happened,” says Burau. ARO mayor called us carpetbaggers, but Now they will plan to fund each phase on two islands. As part of the study, by the meeting’s end he said, “This is new impetus to try to get everything separately. Funds from Prop 84 cov- release catch on it. One time, the USGS Raw data in real-time: Burau’s group put flow sensors and democracy in action.” that hasn’t been built on. One word ered a conceptual study for a nine-mile maintenance team approached one http://cdec.water.ca.gov/ I hear from developers is “balance.” of these cloaked stations to find two CTDs on all seven boundary channels gap between Newark and Fremont, for for Frank’s Tract to measure what was What are you proudest of? That If we’re going to have balance, we’re example, but the buck stopped there. fishermen, rods up, beers open, parked Quality assured data: we not only have the refuge but went going to have to dig out an awful lot right on top of it looking out at the Bay. coming and going out of the system. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/ “There are other pools of money, but “It helped us understand that Frank’s back in 1988 to expand it, to get ade- of fill. JE The team couldn’t resist sending the quate habitat types. We were inspired continued to back page 10 JUNE 2012 11 ESTUARY NEWS MARITIME INVEST i n T H E Unwanted Yacht Menace NEWS

Behind the tidy rows of white yachts on at least since the 1990’s,” says Jim The number of abandoned vessels This award-winning, one-of-a-kind, moored at the Bay’s picturesque ma- Haussener, who directs the California rises and falls with larger economic publication suspended its subscription rinas is an untidy collection of vessels Marine Affairs and Navigation Confer- trends. Sometimes, especially with program this May and now asks abandoned by their owners. Economic ence. Years ago, Redwood City and older vessels, the couple hundred-dol- its loyal readers to consider making downturns always force people to Contra Costa County had a big problem lar monthly berthing costs far exceed a generous annual donation, give up luxuries, and boats, with their with abandoned vessels and illegal live- the boat’s value. Compounding the so we can keep up the high quality maintenance and docking and regis- aboards, and Marin County has strug- problem, Haussener explains, is that of watershed-wide reporting tration fees, are often to first to go. But gled with similar issues for decades. the state changed their vessel registra- associated with the hundreds of abandoned vessels tion requirements about ten years ago. ESTUARY News. Right now, the problem seems more now moored outside supervised mari- The state used to require boat owners acute in the , where nas or tended berths around the Bay to update their registration every year, second hand brokers and salvage are not only creating navigational and but now they can do it every other year. MAKE dealers have been selling the vessels, A pollution hazards, but also attracting “The boat can be sold two or three and locals are starting to use them as DONATION criminal activity. Local agencies, ma- times during that period and nobody’s illegal homes and bases for shoreline rina operators and shoreline landown- really paying attention,” Haussener raids and burglaries. Without the prop- ers are trying to tackle the unpleasant says. er infrastructure provided by marinas BY CREDIT CARD side effects of this fleet of castoffs as www.sfestuary.org/pages/ best they can. these floating camps can become point Dealing with abandoned boats sources of untreated sewage, which and illegal liveaboards takes a lot of newsletter.php The Bay’s abandoned vessel prob- affects nearby marinas and property coordination among various regulatory These abandoned vessels wrecked this June in the Oakland Estuary (and it didn’t take long for a lem is not new. “This has been going owners. and enforcement agencies. The San scavenger to explore below decks). Photo: Brock de Lappe. BY CHECK payable to SF Estuary Partnership, Estuary News Fund residential rainwater systems. But in sink water as ‘grey water’ or ‘dark Francisco Bay Conservation and De- sanitation device. The code is enforce- OUTSIDE 1550 Clay Street, Suite 1400 its second draft, the agency seemed to grey water’ to account for its gunkier velopment Commission, for instance, able through inspections. The Marine THE take public comments to heart. “The nature,” says Allen. Lastly, she thinks has the ability to classify a boat as Bay Patrol writes grants and gets funding Oakland, CA 94612 BOX second revision is a big improvement the irrigation parts of alternative sys- “fill” if it is lived on or moored for an from programs, such as the state’s over the first,” says the organization’s tems “don’t line up very well with the “extended” amount of time outside of a Abandoned Watercraft Abatement PREFER to Make a Laura Allen. “During the triennial code plumbing code.” marina basin. As such, the Commission Fund. One program started in 2010, tax deductible donation? change, they threw the 2009 code out, can issue an order requiring the owner Powell says, has been particularly payable to the New Grey Areas took the Uniform Plumbing Code and On the good side, Allen notes that to remove an illegally moored boat but helpful. This Vessel Turn In Program non-profit: it does not have the power to remove (VTIP) allows boaters to turn in ag- tried to adapt it. In the process, some the code section on clothes wash- Friends of the Estuary, in Plumbing the vessel if the owner fails to do so. ing boats at no cost which is a better of the good things that had happened ing systems is less prescriptive than Estuary News Fund The Coast Guard, which is mandated alternative than being held liable for Advocates of water collection and were lost.” She explains that the other parts: “You don’t need a permit PO Box 791, Oakland, CA 94604 to protect all navigable federal waters, abandoning them. reuse alternatives are encouraged residential and commercial codes are for a one- or two-family dwelling if assists in environmental cleanup if to see California’s plumbing codes being revised separately, the latter by you follow the guidelines.” That’s Suggested contribution $30-$1000. abandoned vessels become a source Setting up local ordinances to ad- becoming a little more grey- and the Building Standards Agency, but more in line with the policies of other dress holes in existing marine regu- THANK YOU! rain-water friendly. Grey water is the states friendlier to grey water, includ- of contamination, or a security liability. the intent is for both to contain paral- But neither agency has the primary re- lation and enforcement efforts may slightly soapy stuff that comes out the lel language. ing Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and be the most viable option for dealing other end of your washing machine or Wyoming: “The codes in those states sponsibility of identifying derelict ves- but wait...there’s more sels and tracking down who is respon- with a problem that presents envi- shower; rain water, in this case, refers Allen pointed out a few things that give guidelines on areas of public sible for their cleanup and disposal. ronmental and public safety threats. to the kind collected in rooftop tanks. still need work. First, the code esti- and environmental health concern That’s why Brock de Lappe, the Harbor If you give Both, with little or no treatment, can mates grey water production based like pooling and runoff, but how you That often leaves local law enforce- Master at Alameda Marina, recently $75 or more, you make perfectly safe water supplies on 1990s fixtures and appliances, and distribute the water is your business. ment with the job. In some places, like helped to start the Oakland Estu- will receive the new, for watering gardens and landscap- doesn’t take into account recent im- We’d like to see California being even in Contra Costa County, the Sheriff’s ary Coalition. It’s a group of harbor fully-illustrated Uni- ing — saving reservoir and snowpack provements for water use efficiency. more proactive — making water reuse department took the lead on the aban- masters, local law enforcers, and versity of California supplies for the drinking water tap. For example, the code assumes each more available and actually promoting doned vessel issue. “We would clean representatives from various agencies Press guide Natural But for years it’s been challenging to person makes 15 gallons per day of it,” she says. them up each year, but they would interested in getting the abandoned History of San Fran- laundry water. “My washing machine just come back again,” says Lieuten- boat and liveaboard issue under con- cisco Bay, signed get permits and plumbers to install Like Allen, Paula Kehoe of the San only uses 12 gallons a load, so that ant Doug Powell from county’s Sheriff trol. The goal is to develop an Alameda by the author and household or commercial grey and Francisco Public Utilities Commission would mean I do more than one load Marine Patrol. “We had whole commu- County ordinance that will work for ESTUARY’s editor. rain water collection systems. Re- is positive about the latest version: of laundry every day. In reality I do one nities out here and they wouldn’t leave all stakeholders. “A county ordinance Give $1000 and you strictive plumbing and building codes “We’re very pleased with the direction simply got in the way. a week,” says Allen. The outcome is until the boats sank.” would facilitate law enforcement,” will get 10 copies to require water-efficient homes to they’re taking in terms of the second says de Lappe, “and the consensus is for your officemates or boardmem- draft. It’s been a very collaborative Powell was instrumental in getting When the state Department of install unnecessarily large and ex- that that would be beneficial.” DM bers. The guide was nominated for a process. We’re looking forward to the the county’s mooring and sanitation Housing and Community Development pensive grey water systems. Second, prestigious Book adoption of guidelines that will help us ordinance passed in 2005 and for its Contact: Brock de Lappe released its first draft of revised chap- the code classifies kitchen sink water Award this June. For more info on the ters of the plumbing code in March, expand our water supply portfolio.” JE subsequent enforcement. Put simply, [email protected] or as”black water” which is the same book. go to: www.ucpress.edu/book. the organization Greywater Action as toilet water. Obviously, what goes the ordinance says that boats can- Doug Powell [email protected] php?isbn=9780520268265 called the proposed new code “more down the kitchen sink drain is differ- Contact: Laura Allen, not be moored in the county if they restrictive and cumbersome,” with ent that what goes down the toilet. [email protected] & lack the means to move or a marine “overly stringent requirements” for “The code should rename kitchen Paula Kehoe, [email protected] San Francisco Estuary Partnership return service requested 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400 presorted Oakland, CA 94612 FIRST-CLASS MAIL San Francisco Bay and the U.S. Postage Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta comprise one of 28 P A I D “estuaries of national significance” recognized in the federal Clean Oakland, CA Water Act. The San Francisco Permit No. 832 Estuary Partnership, a National www.sfestuary.org Estuary Program, is partially funded by annual appropriations from Congress. The Partnership’s mandate is to protect, restore, and enhance water quality and habitat in the Estuary. To accomplish this, the Part- nership brings together resource agencies, non-profits, citizens, and scientists committed to the long-term health and preservation of this invaluable public resource. Our staff manages or oversees more than 50 projects ranging from supporting research into key water quality concerns to managing initiatives that prevent pollution, restore wetlands, or protect against the changes anticipated from climate change in our region. We have published Estuary News since 1993.

ESTUARY ESTUARY News June 2012, Vol. 21, No. 3 www.sfestuary.org/pages/newsletter.php

Managing Editor Ariel Rubissow Okamoto

Contributing Writers NEWS Jacoba Charles Daniel McGlynn Joe Eaton Rebecca Whiteside Aleta George Design Darren Campeau

Want to switch to a PDF from this print version sent through the mail? “Any delay in funding would be a bigger and bigger they get better and Email: [email protected] major setback,” says Hutzel regard- better at swimming faster and faster. ing the region-wide effort to combat The sturgeon increase very rapidly invasive cordgrass. “We could lose and then stay at a steady swimming Restoration, continued from page 9 the work we’ve done so far.” speed all the way up to sub-adult- hood. So a little eight centimeter they are more competitive,” says Like the tides, the up-cycle will sturgeon swims just as well as a 28 Thompson. “The pot is much smaller likely come again. “The important centimeter sturgeon — about 2-3 without Bay Area Conservancy thing is to plan, set a vision, and be body lengths per second,” he says. funds.” ready when the timing is right,” says San Francisco Bay Joint Venture Woodbury, now general manager of All these swimming performance coordinator Beth Huning is also look- the Napa County Regional Park and tests will help UC Davis evaluate the ing at distinct funding phases with Open Space District. “It’s possible to validity of current state and fed- her project partners. The 2,327-acre have great things happen despite the eral screen criteria for agricultural Sears Point Restoration Project is a economics,” he says, noting that the intakes, which dictate what size and case in point. The environmental re- East Bay Regional Park District was shape a screen has to be to cover ports are done, but they don’t yet have formed during the Great Depression. intakes, and how fast water can be construction permits. Meanwhile, In other words, look for treasures pumped out of rivers onto farm fields funds are available to begin construc- while the tide is out. AG (not so fast as to suck a fish against the screen). The current criteria are tion, but not complete it. “Everyone John Woodbury, Contact: protective of delta smelt, Chinook is going to have to prioritize,” says jwoodbury ncrposd and @ salmon and steelhead. “It would be Huning. “We are now looking to non- Amy Hutzel, [email protected] traditional sources of funding for our great if we could show that what projects, and trying to find ways to works for the other species works include restoration in infrastructure Sturgeon, continued from page 5 for sturgeon too,” says Cocherell. If improvements.” not, the last few green sturgeon in Cocherell has one substantial the river may need their own unique The Conservancy is also making conclusion he’s comfortable shar- set of protections. ARO hard choices. Trying to protect large ing before he gets done with his data projects, they’re looking for external analysis. “At a very young age stur- Contact: Nann Fangue funding for several ongoing projects geon are good swimmers, but their [email protected] such as the South Bay Salt Pond Res- capacity doesn’t increase linearly and Dennis Cocherell toration Project and the San Francis- like salmon, which are the Olympic [email protected] co Estuary Invasive Spartina Project. athletes of fishes. As Chinook get