homeabout usprograms and projectsdocuments and reportsdatalinkssearch

Current Projects

Bay Area Stream Fishes
Napa River Sediment TMDL Baseline Study (8.6MB)



Napa River watershed sediment TMDL baseline study.

Total Funding:
$120,372

Project Funder:
Cleanwater Act 205(j) grant managed by the State Water Resources Control Board.

Lead Scientist:
Sarah Pearce, Mathew O’Connor, Robin Grossinger, and Lester McKee.

Collaborators:
Mike Napolitano, San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board, Stillwater Sciences Inc., and William Dietrich, UC Berkeley.

Project Description:
The objective of this project was to collect empirical observational data in a sub-watersheds of the Napa River to be used by the RWQCB to validate the TMDL findings generated by UCB and Stillwater Sciences Inc. in relation to the beneficial use, anadromous fish, and limiting factors to steelhead success in the Napa River watershed. During the Fall 2002 and Spring 2003 SFEI collected empirical observational data in Soda Creek in the Napa River watershed pertaining to geomorphic behavior, current channel condition and function, and change over time. The report generated describes the data and interpretations from this study and includes recommendations on maintaining beneficial uses in the Napa River Watershed.

Work Products:
PDF final report for website.



Stewardship support and watershed assessment in the Napa River watershed.

Total Funding:
$360,900 (SFEI’s share is $147,400) $68,000 remaining in 2003

Project Funder:
CALFED Bay/Delta Watershed Program

Lead Scientist:
Sarah Pearce, Robin Grossinger, and Lester McKee.

Collaborators:
Bob Zlomke et al., Napa County RCD, Mathew O’Connor, O’Connor Environmental, Pacific Watershed Associates, Carneros Creek Stewardship, Sulphur Creek Stewardship, Phil Blake, NRCS

Project Description:
The objective of the project is to address environmental stressors and enhance resource conservation in the Napa River watershed with a focus on Sulphur and Carneros Creeks. In these subwatersheds there is strong public support for developing management plans that suggest and prioritize creek improvements for beneficial uses including native species habitat, water supply, flood protection, and asthetic value. During 2002, the Napa RCD, SFEI and its partners have collected data on instream geomorphic processes, hillslope processes, historic landscape fauna and flora, historic creek form and function, macroinvertebrates, native and non-native fishes, basic water quality, and hydrology. During 2003, these data will be interpreted and used to make recommendations on the future stewardship and potential improvements in each of these creeks.

Work Products:
Draft reports are expected in February.



Mapping Urbanized and Rural Drainages in the Bay Area: A Tool for Improved Management of Stormwater Contaminants Derived from Small Tributaries

Total Funding:
$80,000

Project Funder:
San Francisco Bay RWQCB and the SWRCB

Lead Scientist:
Eric Wittner and Lester McKee

Collaborators:
BASMAA agencies, Christopher Richard, Oakland Museum; Clean South Bay; City of Fremont; Janet Sowers, William Lettis & Associates; City of Oakland; Paul Modrell, Countywide Clean Water Program.

Project Description:
The purpose of the Project was to improve our understanding of drainage areas and hydrological flow paths in urban areas adjacent to San Francisco Bay. The report describes four main products that resulted through this work effort: 1. An inventory of digital geographic information system (GIS) coverages available from cities, counties, Special Districts, and other non-profit and for-profit groups in the Bay Area, 2. A detailed development and evaluation of storm drain maps for a pilot area (Fremont) in the East Bay as a means for making recommendations, 3. A demonstration of results and progress report on the development of the NHD in the Bay Area, and 4. A pilot synthesis of the NHD and storm drain maps.

Work Products:
PDF final draft report



2003 Projects

Crow Canyon Creek Historical Ecology and Geomorphology

Total Funding:
$18,000 remaining in 2003

Project Funder:
Alameda Countywide Clean Water Program

Lead Scientist:
Robin Grossinger, Eric Wittner, and Lester McKee

Collaborators:
Laurel Collins, Watershed Sciences

Project Description:
This project has been ongoing since 2001. The project was jointly developed by SFEI and Alameda County to address management issues in San Lorenzo Basin. The watershed science approach has been applied including hillslope erosion and sediment supply analysis, and Historical Ecology. During 2003, we complete the GIS component and to complete final reporting. Laurel Collins (formally of SFEI) will continue to subcontract directly to the County to complete the majority of the reporting phase. SFEI will supply effort to carry out specific tasks to assist Laurel and the County to complete the project. SFEI’s tasks are assistance with data reduction, GIS digitization of the field maps, historical ecology reporting, and further work on the NHD project.

Project Commitment Status:
Prime contract signed

Start and end dates:
2001 - December 2003



North Bay nutrient and pathogen TMDL study

Total Funding:
$44,800 ($29,000 remaining in 2003)

Project Funder:
San Francisco Bay RWQCB and the SWRCB

Lead Scientist:
Lester McKee and Eric Wittner

Collaborators:
Napa RCD and Sonoma Ecology Center

Project Description:
The objective of this project is to assist the RWQCB to determine if the current TMDL listings for nutrients and pathogens in the watersheds of Napa, Sonoma, and Petaluma are justified. During 2002 we collected and analyzed water samples from approximately 30 locations in the watersheds of Napa and Sonoma during low flow conditions. During the winter of 2002/ 2003 we will we will collect a further 40 to 50 water samples for analysis. These data will be interpreted in the context of recent literature and water quality guidelines outlined in the Basin Plan and used to make management recommendations on future sampling or delisting.

Project Commitment Status:
Prime contract signed

Start and end dates:
June 2002 – June 2003



Fluvial geomorphology and hydrology of La Honda Creek along the Hwy. 84-transportation corridor, San Mateo County, California.

Total Funding:
$152,003 ($60,000 remaining in 2003)

Project Funder:
Caltrans

Lead Scientist:
Sarah Pearce, Chuck Striplen, and Lester McKee

Collaborators:
Dave Yam, Joe Peterson and Dragomir Bogdanic, Caltrans Oakland; Kris Vyverberg and Monique Born, DFG, Sacramento; Jim Racin and Glenn DeCou, Caltrans, Sacramento; Roland Brady and Shay Overton, CSUF.

Project Description:
The objective of the project is to assist Caltrans and the department of Fish and Game to manage La Honda Creek (especially in the vicinity of the Hwy. 84 transportation corridor) as sustainable habitat for coho and steelhead while maintaining the integrity of the road. The project represents a new kind of partnership between DFG and Caltrans as it attempt to implement a proactive philosophy of determining appropriate environmentally friendly road management projects designed in advance of suggested but likely inevitable streamside road failures. During 2002 and 2003, SFEI and CSUF will carry out an analysis of geomorphological and biological function, hydrology, soil, and bank characteristics. These data will be interpreted and used to assist DFG and Caltrans in designing habitat and road mitigation projects and future data collection needs.

Project Commitment Status:
Prime contract signed

Start and end dates:
August 2002 – June 2003



Measurement of sediment and contaminant loads from the Guadalupe River watershed.

Total Funding:
$152,000 ($50,000 remaining in 2003)

Project Funder:
Clean Estuary Partnership (CEP)

Lead Scientist:
Lester McKee and Jon Leatherbarrow

Collaborators:
Larry Freeman, USGS; Rand Eads, Redwood Sciences Laboratory; Russ Flegal, UC Santa Cruz; AXYS Laboratories; Technical Committee of the Clean Estuary Partnership.

Project Description:
Small tributaries form a major pathway for loads of contaminants that enter the Bay each year. Models developed for the Bay are highly sensitive to the magnitude of loads from small tributaries but present load estimates for this pathway lack accuracy and precision. This study will accurately measure contaminant loads from a small tributary representative of one that may contribute significant loads of sediment and associated contaminants to the Bay. Obtaining this information is a first and important step in evaluating the significance of contaminant loading from small tributaries. During the winter of 2002/2003 SFEI and its partners will collect water sampling for analysis of suspended sediment concentrations, particulate organic carbon, mercury, PCBs and OC pesticides. An obs sensor will also be used to continuously monitor turbidity as a surrogate for sediments and contaminants in the water column. In subsequent years analyses will be expanded to include PAHs and other trace metals including copper and nickel.

Project Commitment Status:
Prime contract signed

Start and end dates:
August 2002 – October 2003