1 of 11

Reorienting to Recovery�

1

Photo Credit: California Department of Water Resources

2 of 11

2

PRESENTATION

GOALS

Provide a project update

Encourage participation in the 4/3/24 Forum Meeting

Answer questions

Photo Credit: California Department of Water Resources

3 of 11

PROJECT Overview

Define Salmon Recovery* (Q2 – Q4 2021)

Engage scientists to develop a Salmon Recovery Definition Framework

PHASE

1

PHASE

2

Stakeholder Engagement** (Q1 2022 - Q4 2022)

Solicit input from stakeholders throughout the Central Valley

PHASE

3

Goal

Decision Support** (Q1 2023 – Q3 2024)

Use stakeholder input to model baseline & benchmark scenarios. Structured Decision Making (SDM) process to select and evaluate scenarios

Identify a Suite of Actions to achieve recovery

*Funded by State Water Contractors

** Funded by Delta Science Program grant award, USBR

4 of 11

Engagement Groups

4

Forum	All interested parties	Share values related to salmonid recovery Provide feedback on deliverables
SDM Working Group	A representative subset of the Forum	Help develop and refine recovery scenarios Seek to reach agreement on a recommendation
Science Advisory Team	Technical/TEK experts	Provide advice on technical issues

5 of 11

Where we are in this SDM process

5

Values

Performance metrics**

Bookend scenarios

Blended scenarios

Balanced scenarios

Values Category*
Salmon biological (abundance, productivity, diversity, spatial structure)
Habitat & ecological processes
Access to land & water
Harvest
Water & agriculture
Regulatory, public health, infrastructure

*The six values categories encompass 18 total values

** 34 total performance metrics

Bookend scenarios
1. Max Habitat
2. No Harvest
3. No Hatcheries
4. Max Hatcheries
5. Run of River
6. Run of River + Habitat

Model Knobs
Habitat
Harvest
Hatcheries
Hydrology

6 of 11

Bookend Scenario Results Summary

6

Baseline

Bookend scenarios

7 of 11

Key Takeaways

Using multiple knobs will be critical for achieving recovery
Drier years are devastating to recovery
Building on lessons learned from bookend scenarios to refine actions (e.g., ecological functional flow action)
Will need to acknowledge/consider short term vs long term framing
Transparency (e.g. around data inputs) is key

7

8 of 11

Key Forum Workshop Topics

How can we improve hatchery practices to reduce genetic and life history impacts?
How do we optimize flow to benefit salmon?
What might a next-generation approach to harvest management look like?
How/where can habitat be used most strategically to minimize dry year impacts and utilize existing efforts (e.g., SGMA)?

8

9 of 11

What’s Next?

9

For questions, contact Marlys Jeane (mjeane@kearnswest.com)

Attend the upcoming Forum Meeting (4/3/24)

Review the blended scenarios and share your thoughts about associated tradeoffs

10 of 11

10

Questions?

11 of 11

11

Structured Decision Making (SDM) Working Group Members

American Rivers	Ann Willis
CFBF	Alex Bearing
CFBF	Justin Fredrickson
California Trout	Cliff Feldheim
CDFW	Dan Kratville
CDFW	John Nelson
CDFW	Tricia Bratcher
CVPIA	Niccole Wandelear
CVPIA	Steve Whiteman
Defenders of Wildlife	Ashley Overhouse
Delta Conservancy	Campbell Ingram
Ducks Unlimited	Dan Fehringer
DWR	Pascale Goertler
DWR	Louise Conrad
DWR	Cindy Messer
DWR	Laura Hollender
EBMUD	Michelle Workman
Friends of the River	Jann Dorman
Friends of the River	Keiko Mertz
Glen Colusa Irrigation District	Thad Bettner

McCloud Watershed Council	Angelina Cook
NMFS/NOAA	Amanda Cranford
NOAA	Cathy Marcinkevage
NCGSA	James Stone
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen Association	Andy Colonna
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen Association	Glen Spain
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen Association	Vivian Helliwell
Putah Creek Council	Phil Stevens
Restore the Delta	Artie Valencia
Restore the Delta	Cintia Cortez
Rice Commission	Paul Buttner
River Partners Sacramento Valley Regional Director	Torey Byington
San Joaquin River Restoration Program	Towns Burgess
San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority	Scott Petersen
Sierra Club	Bryan Eckert
SLDMWA	Cindy Meyer
Solano County Water Agency	Max Stevenson

State Water Contractors	Jennifer Pierre
SWRCB	Stephen Louie
The Nature Conservancy	Julie Zimmerman
Tuolomne Trust	Patrick Koepele
Tuolumne River Trust	Peter Drekmeier
Tuolumne TRTAC / Turlock Irrigation District	Michelle A. Reimers
USBR	Heather Casillas
USBR	Don Portz
USBR	Dan Levish
USBR	Rod Wittler
USFWS	Matt Brown
USFWS	James (Jim) Earley
USFWS	JD Wikert
USFWS	Craig Fleming
Water Forum	Jamie Sweeny
Water Forum	Erica Bishop
Water Forum	Jessica Law
Yuba RMT	Willie Whittlesey