SF Estuary Wetlands Regional Program Plan released!

Tidal wetlands in the San Francisco Estuary face an uncertain future due to climate change, continued development pressure, and other regional stressors. The Wetland Regional Monitoring Program (WRMP) Plan, released last month, will leverage monitoring data to respond and adapt to these challenges and help support a more resilient Estuary. Through a collaborative, consensus-based process, the WRMP is seeking to understand how the region’s tidal wetlands are changing over time and how to improve success of wetlands restoration efforts.

A collaboration with BCDC produces a new tool to help Delta communities understand flood risk

The Adapting to Rising Tides program of the SF Bay Conservation & Development Commission (ART BCDC), Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) and the San Francisco Estuary Institute / Aquatic Science Center (SFEI) are unveiling the East Contra Costa Shoreline Flood Explorer. SFEI developed the new explorer as a complementary tool to the Bay Shoreline Flood Explorer to allow government organizations and communities in East Contra Costa County to access interactive online maps of local flood risks due to rising sea levels and storm events.

Restoration Vision for the Laguna de Santa Rosa released

SFEI recently completed a long-term Restoration Vision for the Laguna de Santa Rosa in the Russian River watershed. SFEI, Sonoma Water, and the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation worked with technical advisors, stakeholders, and landowners to develop the Restoration Vision, which identifies opportunities for multi-benefit habitat restoration and land management that supports people and wildlife. Over the next year, SFEI and project partners will use the Restoration Vision to build a Restoration Plan for the Laguna that will provide restoration targets and restoration project concepts that can lead to long-term ecosystem improvement.

PFAS stays in San Francisco Bay

SFEI senior scientist, Dr. Rebecca Sutton, published a new study in the journal Chemosphere showing that it will take almost 50 years for PFOA concentrations in water to stabilize in San Francisco Bay. This pales in comparison to the trajectory of PFOS concentrations that will not stabilize in sediment and fish for 500 years. PFOS and PFOA are harmful to humans, causing liver damage, endocrine disruption, fertility decrease, and cancer.

Assessing Five Watersheds in Santa Clara County

A new synthesis report, funded by Valley Water in Santa Clara County, characterizes the amount, distribution, and diversity of streams and wetlands within the County. This new report employs sophisticated map data in the form of the California Aquatic Resources Inventory (CARI) and ambient surveys of the overall ecological condition of streams using the California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM).