Sam Veloz

Phase 2 Science Synthesis

ariela — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 17:54:19 +0000

Phase 2 Science Synthesis

Cover of Phase 2 Science Synthesis report. Aerial photo of lower South Bay.

ariela Tue, 06/16/2020 - 10:54

Document Category

Scientific Reports

Author(s)

Date

2019-12

Summary

The San Francisco Estuary contains some of California’s most important ecosystems, providing human communities with invaluable benefits ranging from commercial fishing, recreation, pollutant filtration, strengthened shorelines, and habitat for diverse species including many endangered and endemic species. The people of San Francisco Bay value these benefits and as such, in an attempt to recover massive losses that occurred historically, have invested in the restoration of vast acres of baylands to tidal marsh and other productive habitats. Bay Area voters passing the $500 million Measure AA parcel tax in 2016 exemplifies the strong community support for protecting and restoring the Bay’s wetland habitats.

As the largest tidal wetland restoration project on the West Coast, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project plays a critical role in protecting and restoring the Bay. When complete, the Project will have restored 15,100 acres of industrial salt ponds to a rich mosaic of tidal wetlands and other habitats. The project objectives are to: restore and enhance a mix of wetland habitats, maintain existing levels of flood risk management, provide wildlife-oriented public access and recreation, maintain or improve water and sediment quality in the South Bay, protect special status species, limit the spread of non-native invasive species, and protect the services provided by existing infrastructure.

All restoration activities implemented by the Project are guided by and inform its Adaptive Management Plan. The AMP established the project objectives listed above and developed restoration targets relating to each objective. Further, the AMP defined a set of Key Uncertainties as gaps in knowledge around South Bay ecosystem functioning or restoration that significantly hinders the ability to achieve project objectives. The Project commissioned a set of science studies that were completed during Phase 1 of the Project focused on addressing these Key Uncertainties. Valoppi (2018) summarized the results of these studies and found that some of the Key Uncertainties identified in the original plan have been answered to varying degrees.

This synthesis refines the Key Uncertainties to pinpoint elements that still need to be addressed in order to move the project forward to achieve project objectives. Our approach was to gather information from publications, reports, and presentations relevant to the Project that have become available since the Phase 1 Science Summary by Valoppi (2018). We also conducted interviews with key researchers and stakeholders to include the latest information available. In addition, we synthesize information and results from other efforts throughout the Estuary and beyond that have a nexus with the Project to inform future discussions about integrating with those efforts. This science synthesis will, along with a climate change synthesis, be used to inform science framework for the project. The science framework will guide and prioritize future studies and monitoring for the Project. The Phase 2 science will ultimately provide the scientific foundation for the types of implementation that is proposed for Phase 3 of the project. The chapters herein are thus structured around eight thematic groupings of the Key Uncertainties from Valoppi (2018).

This science synthesis has three main goals: 1) to expand upon the status of current Applied Studies and monitoring associated with wetland restoration efforts that are underway and have taken place since the Phase 1 Science Summary, 2) identify gaps in our current knowledge of the system and additional studies required to fill these gaps, and 3) identify opportunities for increasing efficiencies in monitoring, modeling and analysis through regional and cross disciplinary integration and use of emerging technologies to more efficiently capture needed data.

Pond Complex

Alviso

Eden Landing

Ravenswood

Phase 2 Climate Change Synthesis

ariela — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 17:48:01 +0000

Phase 2 Climate Change Synthesis

Cover of Phase 2 Climate Change Synthesis report.

ariela Tue, 06/16/2020 - 10:48

Document Category

Scientific Reports

Author(s)

Date

2020-01

Summary

The San Francisco Estuary contains some of California’s most important ecosystems, providing human communities with invaluable benefits ranging from commercial and sport fishing, pollutant filtration, strengthened shorelines, and habitat for diverse species, including many endangered and endemic species. The people of the San Francisco Bay Area value these benefits and, in an attempt to recover large-scale historical losses, have invested in the restoration of vast acres of baylands to tidal marsh and other productive habitats. Bay Area voters passing the Measure AA parcel tax in 2016 exemplifies the strong community support for protecting and restoring the Bay’s wetland habitats.

As the largest tidal wetland restoration project on the West Coast, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project plays a critical role in protecting and restoring the Estuary. When complete, the Project will have restored 15,100 acres of industrial salt ponds to a rich mosaic of tidal wetlands and other habitats.

As the Project moves into construction of its Phase 2 actions, the potential effects of climate change are a primary issue of concern, and there is a pressing need to understand how climate change may affect the ability to achieve the above Project Objectives.

This Climate Change Synthesis is intended as a first step to address this need and is guided by three main goals:

1. To provide context for adaptive management as the Project moves forward,

2. To identify the anticipated key impacts of climate change to Project Objectives, and

3. To offer potential strategies or actions that address climate change impacts and could be implemented in the coming Project phases.

Our approach in developing this report was to build on existing summaries of climate change information that have been synthesized for the San Francisco Bay region and the Project by conducting a targeted literature review focusing on climate change factors that could inhibit achieving Project Objectives. Climate change information was summarized as part of the Phase 1 Studies Summary, so we have focused on synthesizing recent information not already discussed in detail.

This Climate Change Synthesis will, along with a Science Synthesis, be used to inform the Phase 2 Science Framework for the Project. The Science Framework will guide the prioritization of management decisions, including future studies and monitoring for the Project. The Phase 2 science will ultimately provide the scientific foundation for the types of implementation considered for future phases of the Project.

Pond Complex

Alviso

Eden Landing

Ravenswood

Phase 2 Science Program Framework

ariela — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 15:58:26 +0000

Phase 2 Science Program Framework

Cover of Phase 2 Science Program Framework report, closeup of Pond A21. Credit: Cris Benton

ariela Tue, 06/16/2020 - 08:58

Document Category

Scientific Reports

Author(s)

Date

2020-06

Summary

This Science Program Framework provides a transparent, rational approach for identifying and implementing the most relevant science to inform restoration and management decisions in pursuit of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project’s mission, which is the restoration and enhancement of wetlands in the South San Francisco Bay while providing for flood risk management and wildlife-oriented public access and recreation.

This Framework is intended as a tool for the Project Management Team to determine the most critical and immediate science needs to advance Project goals for South San Francisco Bay wetlands and shoreline management. The Framework provides a prioritization process that is intended to serve as a guide for discussions and decision-making among PMT members and relevant stakeholders about how to prioritize limited resources for science to address the most critical and immediate needs of the Project. This Framework does not prescribe or describe in detail the plans or products that the PMT might develop but rather serves to guide those efforts.

The primary intended user of this Framework is the PMT. Regulators, scientists, land managers, and other decision-makers can also use the Framework document to identify potential synergies between their activities and goals and the Project’s science activities. These other users can also benefit from the Framework document, which should be useful to any stakeholder interested in a better understanding of the Project’s decision-making process.

Pond Complex