Wetlands: Home | Program Information | Projects | Publications

Projects

Pacific Estuarine Ecological Indicators Research (PEEIR)

Total Funding:
$4,000,000 (SFEI share: $24,000)

Project Funder:
US Environmental Protection Agency

Lead Scientist:
Joshua N. Collins

Collaborators:
Prime Contractor: U.C. Davis Co-PIs: Susan Anderson, Susan Ustin, Peter Green, Edwin Grosholz, Laura Hess, Richard Higashi, Doug Nelson, Edward Smith, Susan Williams, Gary Cherr (UC Davis), Anitra Pawley (SF Bay Institute)

Project Description:
The PEEIR is funded for four years through the Eagle Program of the USEPA to develop new indicators of Pacific estuarine wetland health, with a focus on bio-geo chemistry and vegetation. The Wetland Science Program at SFEI is involved with hydro-geomorphic indicator development, overall integration among the other technical aspects of PEEIR, and eventual transfer of PEEIR output into wetland monitoring efforts in the Bay Area. This project is a source of new indicators that could be used in the regional wetlands monitoring program.

Work Products:

Conceptual Models of Estuarine Wetland Form and Function
Presentation Abstract: "The geomorphology of tidal marshes in San Francisco Bay."
Technical plans to characterize study site hydrology."

San Francisco Intensification Study of the West Coast Pilot of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (WEMAP)

Total Funding:
$135,342

Project Funder:
US Environmental Protection Agency

Lead Scientist:
Joshua N. Collins

Collaborators:

Martha Sutula (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project), Michael Vasey and Thomas Parker (San Francisco State University), John Callaway (University of San Francisco), Nadava Nur and Diana Strahlberg (Point Reyes Bird Observatory), Maggi Kelly (UC Berkeley), Susan Ustin (UC Davis), Paul Jones and Richard Sumner (USEPA).

Project Description:
This project extends the EMAP-estuaries West Coast Pilot into tidal wetlands for the fist time. The project collects original data at scales from square-meters (e.g., sediment contaminants and infauna), tidal drainage system and habitat patches (e.g., plant community structure), landcapes (e.g., habitat fragmentation), and watersheds (e.g., land use and human demographics). This project sets a precedent for regional, stratified-random monitoring of wetlands in the Bay Area that is likely to become the model for the ambient aspect of the regional wetland-monitoring program. The project also connects the program to a premier group of statisticians that can assist with overall design of the monitoring program.

Work Products:

Data collection plan, GIS-based sample frame, and scientific rationale to EMAP management team.
Quality Assurance and Protection Plan (QAPP) to US EPA
Study site imaging, access permits, and field data entry templates
Data reports and data analysis plan to US EPA
Draft report on the ambient condition of intertidal habitats in relation to major ecological stressors in an Francisco Bay

West Coast Wetlands Monitoring Venture

Total Funding:
$180,000

Project Funder:
US Environmental Protection Agency, SF Estuary Project

Lead Scientist:
Joshua N. Collins

Collaborators:

Don Stevens (Oregon State University), Andree Breaux (SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board), Molly Martindale (SF District US Army Corps of Engineers), Richard Ambrose (UC Los Angeles), Mary Kentula and Richard Sumner and Paul Jones (US EPA), Martha Sutula and Eric Stein (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project), Michael Vasey (San Francisco State University), John Callaway (University of San Francisco), Nadava Nur and Diana Strahlberg and Gary Page (Point Reyes Bird Observatory), Maggi Kelly (UC Berkeley), Susan Ustin (UC Davis), Chris Potter (CA State Resources Agency.

Project Description:

This project builds on previous CWA Section 104 funding from EPA to develop a regional wetlands monitoring program. This stage of program development is focused on improving the existing wetlands GIS for the region (Baylands coverage in the EcoAtlas), developing the California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) for annual ambient monitoring of all wetland types, and drafting standard protocols to assess the performance of local projects and to calibrate the CRAM.

Work Products:

Standard intertidal habitat intensive monitoring protocols for tidal stage and datums, field-based plant community structure, plan-view vegetation mapping, channel density, channel cross-section, debris and refuse abundance, sedimentation rate, topographic complexity, MeHg exposure risk (especially for California Clapper Rails), small mammal surveys, avian support surveys, invasive cordgrass distribution and abundance, river otter and marine mammal surveys, bat surveys, rare plant surveys, site-specific breeding bird surveys, red-legged surveys, salt marsh harvest mouse surveys, general sediment contaminant concentration surveys.
State-wide and regional teams to develop and review the CRAM
First draft California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) plus plans to for regional tests in SF Bay Area and Southern California.

Montezuma Technical Review Team

Total Funding:
$55,000

Project Funder:
Montezuma Wetlands Project

Lead Scientist:
Joshua N. Collins

Collaborators:
Robert Batha (SF Bay Conservation and Development Commission), Andree Breaux (SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board), Larry Stromberg (private consultant), Dick Arnold (private consultant), Jane Hicks and Eric Polso0n (USCAE), Michelle Orr (private consultant), Karl Malamud-Roam (Contra Costa County Mosquito Abatement District), Howard Shellhammer (San Jose Sate University), Bruce Herbold and Paul Jones (USEPA), Peter Baye (private consultant), John Takekawa (USGS), Joe Didonato (East bay Parks District), Jay Davis and Ben Greenfield and Don Yee (SFEI).

Project Description:
The Montezuma Project is a for-profit venture to restore 2,500 acres of brackish tidal marsh in the western Delta using dredged sediment. As part of the USACE permit for the project, the sponsor was required to contract with a non-profit organization (the Wetlands Science Program at SFEI won the contract) to create and administer a technical team for independent scientific review and interpretation of the project monitoring effort and resulting data for the 20-30 year life of the project. SFEI will renegotiate the contract each year. This project is a test case for large-scale re-use of dredged sediment. This project initiates the planned part of the regional monitoring program that provides advice and review for local monitoring efforts.

Work Products:

Charter Agreement between SFEI, USACE, and the project sponsor
TRT work plan and schedule for year one
TRT Kickoff meeting plus minutes

Crissy Field Technical Review Team

Total Funding:
$9,000

Project Funder:
US National Park Service

Lead Scientist:
Joshua N. Collins

Collaborators:
Richard Ambrose (UC Los Angeles), Michael Vasey (San Francisco State University), John Callaway (University of San Francisco), Karl Malamud-Roam (Contra Cost Mosquito Abatement District), Gary Page (Point Reyes Bird Observatory).

Project Description:
Crissy Field is a tidal marsh restoration project near the San Francisco Presidio. For this project, we will review and as necessary recommend changes to the proposed monitoring design and methods. This project advances the role of the regional monitoring program to advise and review local monitoring efforts.

Work Products:

Technical Review Team and its work plan

Coyote Hills Habitat Design

Total Funding:
$21,600

Project Funder:
East Bay Regional Parks District

Lead Scientist:
Joshua N. Collins

Collaborators:

Joe Didonato (East Bay Regional Park District)

Project Description:
The East Bay Regional Park District has asked the Wetland Science Program at SFEI to help develop a conceptual habitat plan for restoration of wetlands and related habitats at the Coyote Hills Regional Park in South Bay, and to serve as liaison between the project sponsor, the wetlands regional monitoring program and the newly formed design review group of the SF Bay Wetlands Recovery Program. This project provides a basis for implementing the planned institutional arrangement between the DRG (local project design review for consistency with the Regional Goals) and the WRMP (selection of monitoring indicators and methods based on project designs).

Work Products:

Draft conceptual model of wetlands and related habitats for the Coyote Hills Park.
Presentation package for the DRG

South and Central Bay Wetlands Project Map

Total Funding:
$45,000

Project Funder:
San Francisco Foundation

Lead Scientist:
Joshua N. Collins

Collaborators:

Diana Strahlberg (Point Reyes Bird Observatory), Stuart Siegel (private consultant

Project Description:
This project creates a digital map and database of all past, present, and currently proposed wetland restoration projects within the historical limits of the tides in South Bay and Central Bay. The products will be combined with an existing comparable map and database for wetland projects in North Bay. The combined maps and databases will be made public on the existing online EcoAtlas website developed and hosted at SFEI. This project provides the base map and starting database for online tracking of new wetland projects as fundamental aspect of the WRMP.

Work Products:

Base map on which wetland project will be displayed
Data templates and web-based entry forms
Comprehensive list of projects and their contact persons
Basic descriptions of each project linked to the map of projects
Web site design and implementation plan

San Francisco Estuary Program Science Support

Total Funding:
$20,000

Project Funder:
San Francisco Estuary Project (SFEP)

Lead Scientist:
Joshua N. Collins

Collaborators:

Marcia Brockbank (SFEP), Andree Breaux (SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board), Molly Martindale (USACE)

Project Description:
The SFEP has asked the Wetland Science Program to develop a digital map of the locations of SFEP projects, and has also provided funds to help develop the Bay Area EcoAtlas. This project will extend the regional map of projects from the baylands into local watersheds, will provide a protocol for updating the regional map of restoration projects.

Work Products:

Draft protocol to update the regional map of restoration projects

2003 Projects

SF Bay Area Regional Wetlands Monitoring Program

Total Funding:
$250,000

Project Funder:
US EPA, CA State Resources Agency

Lead Scientist:
Joshua N. Collins

Collaborators:
Jon Hall (USFWS), Chris Potter (CA State Resources Agency), Martha Sutula (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project), Richard Sumner and Paul Jones (USEPA), Marcia Brockbank (SFEP)

Project Description:
This project will build on the previous effort to plan and implement the WRMP. This next stage of program develop will focus on testing the California Rapid Assessment Method for wetlands (CRAM), developing and testing an ambient monitoring g plan for the baylands, and mapping all non-tidal wetlands within the 9 county Bay Area. This project will set the stage for full implementation of the WRMP.

Commitment Status:

The pre-proposal was favorably judged and a full proposal has been requested.

Start & End Dates:

Jun 2003-Dec. 30, 2004

CALFED Wetland Monitoring Pilot

Total Funding:
$154,000

Project Funder:
CALFED

Lead Scientist:
Joshua N. Collins

Collaborators:

Mike May and Cristina Grosso (SFEI), Steven Bollen and Mike Vasey and Thomas Parker (San Francisco State University), Stuart Siegel (private consultant), Charles Simenstad (University of Washington), Maggi Kelley (UC Berkeley), Nadav Nur and Gary Page (Point Reyes Bird Observatory), Mike May (SFEI), Jeremy Lowe (private consultant), Phil Bachand (private consultant), John Callaway (University of San Francisco)

Project Description:
The Wetlands Science Program and Information Technology Group of SFEI will provide general science support and data management for the CALFED study of tidal wetland functions in the Bay Area and Delta.

Commitment Status:
Contract is being finalized

Start & End Dates:
Oct. 1, 2003-Dec. 31, 2005