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California WaterBlog

Are you going to the 2026 Bay-Delta Science Conference?

20–30 minutes

By CWS researchers

. . . 

From September 28–30, researchers from the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) will join colleagues from across California at the 2026 Bay-Delta Science Conference in Sacramento. 

The conference brings together scientists, policymakers, engineers, resource managers, knowledge holders, community advocates, artists, and others to think about the future of California’s Bay-Delta. This year’s theme, “The Opportunity of Change: Building and Being the Future Together,” focuses on envisioning a more connected and resilient California system where science is central to solutions in the Bay-Delta. 

Here’s a glance at what to expect!

Installation of Surface Elevation Tables. PC Karen Thorne.

Using a monitoring network to track marsh elevations and accretion in San Francisco Bay-Delta, California

Authors: Karen Thorne, M. Bristow, L. Rankin
When: Tuesday, September 29 | 1:30 – 3:10 PM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B10; Session: San Francisco Estuary Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program: inaugural multi-indicator monitoring results to inform and streamline tidal wetland restoration implementation

Topic: Tracking tidal marsh elevations over time allows us to understand if they are keeping pace with sea level rise and if management interventions should be done to prevent habitat loss. This presentation will provide monitoring results for 19 marshes in the San Francisco Bay. Most marshes we measured are gaining enough elevation to prevent drowning from increases in sea level in the near term. Continued monitoring will allow managers to identify when intervention should occur to prevent loss of marsh habitats. One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: This project is part of the Wetland Regional Monitoring Program, a comprehensive network of practitioners tracking changes in marshes now and over the coming decades. Home – Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program

Learn more:

An introduction to the academic-agency collaborative training program to advance modeling capabilities in the Bay Delta

Authors: Miranda Bell Tilcock, Rachel Alsheikh, Josh Israel, Jon Walter, Jon Herman, John Durand, Carson Jeffres, Alyse Lacey, David Ayers, Krystle Catamura, Andrea Hamilton, Lillian McCormick, Randi Field, Ryan Lucas, Alvar Escriva-Bou, and Karrigan Börk
When: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 | 1:30 – 5:10 PM | Oral Presentation
Where: B9; Session 5: Use of a new academic-agency collaborative training program to advance modeling capabilities in the Bay Delta (Part 1 &2)

Topic: The Multidisciplinary Water Training and Operations Program is a cooperative effort between the US Bureau of Reclamation and the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis. As part of the training program, early career scientists develop, enhance, and improve the science-based tools used to provide actionable information on high-priority questions in water operations, fisheries, and aquatic ecosystem management. Tools developed through this project improve water management and fish and wildlife conservation in the California Bay-Delta watershed, promote effective use of water within the system, help prevent species extinctions, and provide scientific information to support recovery efforts while also providing on-the-job training and real work experience for students.

We have open MS positions available for the 2027 cohort to apply! Deadline October 8th!

Learn more:

There is also a poster about this program; see below:

The Multidisciplinary Water Training and Operations Program: A New Academic-Agency Collaborative Training Program

Authors: Rachel Alsheikh, Miranda Bell Tilcock, Josh Israel, Jon Walter, Jon Herman, John Durand, Carson Jeffres, Alyse Lacey, David Ayers, Krystle Catamura, Andrea Hamilton, Lillian McCormick, Randi Field, Ryan Lucas, Alvar Escriva-Bou, and Karrigan Börk
When: Monday, September 28, 2026 | 5:15 – 7:15 PM | Poster
Where: Poster, Art, and Networking Reception in Hall D

Topic: This poster covers the first year of the new Multidisciplinary Water Training and Operations Program, a cooperative effort between the US Bureau of Reclamation and the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. The program is unique in facilitating collaboration between the next generation of scientists, as students and postdoctoral scholars, and agency partners, ensuring trainees learn to produce science directly transferable to decision-makers. Trainees in the program develop science-based tools to provide actionable information on high-priority questions in water operations, fisheries, and aquatic ecosystem management in collaboration with Bureau of Reclamation mentors. Tools developed through this project improve water management and fish and wildlife conservation in the California Bay-Delta watershed, promote effective use of water within the system, help prevent species extinctions, and provide scientific information to support recovery efforts. This poster outlines the strategies and learning methods of the program; it also introduces the scientific projects developed by the first cohort of trainees.

Learn more: 

Improving fish survival modeling in the Delta using predation experiments

Authors: David Ayers, Cyril Michel, Anna Steel, Ben Abban, Josh Israel, Andrea Hamilton, Jonathan Walter
When: Tuesday, September 29 | 2:10 – 2:30 PM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B9. Session: The Multidisciplinary Water Training and Operations Program: A New Academic-Agency Collaborative Training Program

Topic: Little is known about the influence hydrodynamic modification has on aquatic organism interactions within the Delta. However, an emerging body of literature suggests hydrodynamics may play an important role in fish predation dynamics. We address this topic by investigating how fluid dynamics and a suite of other factors influence predation risk for juvenile Chinook salmon, an imperiled species notorious for its low survival rate within the contemporary Delta. Our research will help determine if targeted manipulation of channel features and flow conditions can lessen predation mortality for juvenile Chinook salmon and ultimately improve the conservation outlook for this iconic species in California’s Central Valley. One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: Fish predation trials can help elucidate finescale drivers of predation risk in the Delta, complementing broader-scale insights from acoustic telemetry studies in this region.

Learn more: 

Understanding the Drivers of Zooplankton Abundance and Spatial Patterns in the San Francisco Bay–Delta

Authors: Alyse Lacey, Jonathan Walter, John Durand, Andrea Hamilton, Joshua Israel, and Lillian McCormick
When: Tuesday, September 29 | 3:50 PM – 4:10 PM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B9. Session: Understanding the Drivers of Zooplankton Abundance and Spatial Patterns in the San Francisco Bay–Delta

Topic: I’m looking at what environmental factors drive zooplankton abundance and spatial distribution across the Bay-Delta using decades of Interagency Ecological Program monitoring data. I’m starting with one species, Eurytemora, as a case study before expanding to four other key zooplankton groups (Pseudodiaptomus, Gammarus, Mysis, and Aartiella). Zooplankton are the critical food-web link between algae and fish like Delta Smelt and juvenile salmon, therefore, what affects zooplankton, affects those fish as well. Current modeling tools (like the IBMR, which uses zooplankton density to help predict Delta Smelt population trends) mostly cover the salty/brackish parts of the estuary, this work extends that understanding into the freshwater Delta, where those relationships haven’t been well characterized. One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: I’d love for people to know how important zooplankton are to the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta system and that they should be conserved and protected just as much as fish species. 

Learn more: 

Evaluating Hydrologic Forecast Performance and Operational Impacts Within the CalSim3 Framework

Authors: Krystle Catamura, Jonathan Herman, Randi Field, Ryan Lucas, Kunxuan Wang, Cameron Koizumi
When: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 | 1:30 – 5:10 PM | Oral Presentation
Where: B9; Session: Use of a new academic-agency collaborative training program to advance modeling capabilities in the Bay Delta (Part 1 &2)

Topic: I’m studying how different seasonal water supply forecasts affect reservoir operations and downstream conditions in California’s Central Valley. Using the CalSim 3 water resources model, I compare forecasts from CNRFC and DWR with the forecasts currently used in the model to see how those differences influence reservoir storage, releases, and conditions in the Delta. Seasonal forecasts help inform decisions about how water is stored and released throughout the year. Understanding how different forecasts propagate through the system can help identify when forecast improvements are most likely to meaningfully affect reservoir operations and downstream outcomes in the Bay-Delta.

Learn more: 

Green sturgeon swimming in a tank
Green sturgeon. PC Erin Tracy.

Flows effects on green sturgeon spawning migrations in the Sacramento River                                             

Authors: Jonathan Walter, Erin Tracy, Francisco Bellido-Leiva, Scott Colborne, Sarah Yarnell, Karrigan Börk
When: Wednesday, September 30 | 9:30 – 9:50 AM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B2. Session: Movement, migration, and modeling: Advances in tracking salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon

Topic: We are studying the movement behavior of adult green sturgeon while on their spawning migrations from the ocean up the Sacramento River and how routing and migration success depend on flows and water temperature. Green sturgeon are federally threatened but poorly represented in California water management due in part to limited understanding of their habitat requirements and responses to changing flow conditions. Improving understanding and quantification of how flows shape spawning migration behavior is a key component of evaluating population-level consequences of alternative water management scenarios. One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: The route taken by green sturgeon to their spawning grounds depends on flows, and warm water temperatures during spawning migrations make green sturgeon more likely to turn back toward the ocean without reaching spawning grounds.

Learn more: 

Rinundation: An R package to Quantify Fish Rearing Habitat in Restored Tidal Wetlands

Authors: Jesse Schroeder, Jonathan Walter, Paul Stumpner, David Ayers
When: Monday, September 28 | 5:15 – 7:15 PM | Poster
Where: Poster, Art, and Networking Reception in Hall D

Topic:  This research is focused on elucidating the features that drive fish nursery function in tidal wetlands, a once prominent but now rare habitat type in the Delta. To accomplish this, we conducted a peer review to identify metrics researchers flagged as important constituents of fish rearing habitat, then using these metrics, we constructed a habitat simulation model and quantified rearing potential across alternative restoration designs. This approach can help restoration practitioners to identify and quantify desirable habitat features for Chinook salmon and other tidal wetland dependent fishes in the Bay-Delta. Through its use, we intend to optimize restoration efficiency and maximize conservation benefits for wetland dependent fishes in the Delta and beyond. One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: Rinundation can help determine the site-specific design features that drive variation in juvenile salmon growth and survival within tidal wetlands in the Delta and beyond.

Learn more: 

Juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon caught in the Chipps Island midwater trawl as part of long-term salmon monitoring in the Delta. PC: Rachel Johnson.

From Floods to Fishery Closures: Drought-Driven Erosion of Wild Salmon Production and Life History Diversity

Authors: Rachel Johnson, Kohma Arai, Anna M. Sturrock, Malte Willmes, George Whitman, Russell Perry, and Carson Jeffres
When: Monday, September 28 | 2:10 PM – 2:30 PM | Oral Presentation
Where: B3-8. Session: What we know, what we don’t, and what we’re guessing: Updated conceptual models of Central Valley salmon life history

Topic: Life-history diversity stabilizes Chinook salmon populations by spreading risk across migration strategies and environmental conditions. However, recent droughts, declining adult returns, and fishery closures suggest that this resilience is eroding in California’s Central Valley. Our research examines how wet and dry conditions influence the success of natural- and hatchery-origin fall-run Chinook salmon production. We found droughts reduce natural production and eliminate important life-history strategies, weakening the diversity that helps salmon populations withstand environmental change and support a sustainable fishery. These findings highlight the importance of conserving diverse wild populations and hydrologic conditions that sustain multiple juvenile migration pathways under climate change. One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: California’s fall-run Chinook salmon fishery depends on strong contributions from both hatchery and naturally produced salmon. 

Learn more:

Salmon at their range edge: Evaluating Chinook Salmon origins in the Guadalupe River using community science and isotopes

Authors: Malte Willmes, Miranda Bell Tilcock, Brian Allée, Steve Holmes, Richard Lanman, Jamie Sweeney, Kirsten Sellheim, Flora Cordoleani, George Whitman, Scott Blankenship, Carson Jeffres, Rachel Johnson
When: Monday, September 28, 2026 | 5:15 – 7:15 PM | Poster
Where: Poster, Art, and Networking Reception in Hall D

Topic: Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) spawning runs are increasingly observed in watersheds outside of their currently defined range. These occurrences create a management dilemma, as observed adults may reflect straying hatchery or natural origin fish, or the early stages of local (re-) establishment. Distinguishing among these possibilities is challenging, especially in watersheds not systematically monitored for salmon. We use the Guadalupe River watershed, an urban tributary to the southern San Francisco Estuary, as a case study for evaluating Chinook Salmon in novel spawning habitats. Chinook Salmon spawning, rearing, and smolt outmigration have been observed in the river since the 1980s, and ancient DNA from Mission Santa Clara salmonid remains found that Chinook Salmon occurred in the watershed circa 1800 CE.  Based on available evidence, we frame the Guadalupe River not as a self-sustaining population, but as a historically occupied urban watershed with evidence of a reproductive foothold. This case highlights how citizen science and multi-proxy origin tools provide a framework to guide management decisions for progress in river restoration before population status is fully resolved. One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: Eye-lens stable isotope data indicate that only a small number of the unmarked adults were of natural origin rather than hatchery origin. Otolith geochemistry of ten confirmed natural-origin adults indicated natural Central Valley sources, with a single individual showing an isotopic signature consistent with Guadalupe River origin. Together, these approaches can help distinguish hatchery-origin strays, natural origin strays and local-origin returns.

Learn more: 

Beyond one basket: Scientific advances and emerging strategies for rebuilding a resilient winter-run Chinook salmon portfolio

Authors: Rachael Ryan, Kohma Arai, Miranda Bell-Tilcock, Danhong Ally Li, Carson Jeffres, Rachel Johnson
When: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 | 8:30 – 10:10 AM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B3-5; Session: Envisioning and evaluating Chinook Salmon recovery scenarios: from new insights to new futures 

Topic: This presentation is a synthesis of research across the last 8 years using archival tissues from endangered winter-run Chinook salmon and other non-invasive methods to better understand limits to their survival and successful strategies fish might use. Winter-run Chinook salmon are on the brink of extinction, but with new insights into thermal bottlenecks, key habitats, and re-emerging life-history strategies, we can use the many tools in our management toolbox to enhance the number of pathways in which fish can succeed. Ultimately, this may require continuing to invest in diversifying spawning populations, managing non-natal and off-channel habitats for winter-run access, and considering cold-water resources in different ways.  One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: Looking forward to discussions on hope spots and recovery solutions for winter-run Chinook salmon!

Learn more:

Seasonal Zooplankton Community Dynamics in the Yolo Bypass and its Tributaries

Authors: Daniel Consolvo, Soffia Ramsey, Sydney Stark, Matthew Salvador, Amanda Niemela, Spencer Breining-Aday, Eric Holmes, Carson Jeffres
When: Monday, September 28th | 5:15 – 7:15 PM | Poster
Where: Poster, Art, and Networking Reception in Hall D

Topic: Microscopic aquatic critters, called zooplankton, provide a robust food source for juvenile chinook salmon rearing in the Sacramento River’s flood control channel, the Yolo Bypass. We seek to better understand exactly when during the rainy season these zooplankton can be found around different parts of the Bypass. By pairing changes in specific zooplankton densities to habitat and environmental drivers, we can better understand lower trophic food web structure. Identifying times and places that large cladocerans (>1mm)–a prime forage item of juvenile chinook salmon–are likely to have population explosions will enable more tailored management decisions across the bypass. 

Learn more: 

A new angle on the Bay-Delta’s problems and promise

Authors: Elise Cypher, David Ayers, and Miranda Bell Tilcock
When: September 28, 5:15-7:15 pm | Art
Where: Poster, Art, and Networking Reception in Hall D

Topic: We often speak of a new vision for the Bay-Delta region, yet we typically express this in words. Art may be a more appropriate medium; it allows each of us to draw connections and formulate possibilities. Become a vital part of this effort by helping us identify spatially explicit features linked to the Bay-Delta’s complex problems and enduring promise. 

Tell us what you think! Write on the easel pad to identify elements you think should be added or removed. We want to hear from you!

Learn more: 

Placeholder: Flooding the Notch 

Author: Eliza Gregory, lead artist. 
Collaborators: Carson Jeffres, John Brennan
Student Artists: Analy Carrillo, Thomas Barr, AJ Tinkess, Christian Navarro, Jasmin Munoz, Jeremy Rommelfanger, Beatriz Vargas, Gabriel Luukkonen, Anna Beers, Livia Balistreri, Montserrat Valencia, Angelina LaVancha, Alexandria Contreras, Brittany Little, Takaki Clark, Eleni Sanchez, Meli Rodas, Mario Bedoy, Rachel O’Brien, Dolores Navarro, Alejandra Garcia, Kadence Armstrong, Thelma Salomon-Saldivar, William Vannucci, Ruben Aguilar. 
When: September 28, 5:15-7:15 pm | Art
Where: Poster, Art, and Networking Reception in Hall D

Topic: This is a collaborative social practice artwork examining human relationships to land. In this iteration, Sacramento State photography students explored the Yolo Bypass guided by Professor Gregory along with conservationist John Brennan and fish scientist Carson Jeffres. Through field trips, diverse creative research, and collaborative dialogue, this group of artists began the process of connecting with the land surrounding them and investigating the floodplain ecosystems and infrastructure of the Sacramento Valley.  

As artists, we learned about our native ecosystem, indigenous land stewardship, the colonial destruction that has changed it, and the work that is being done to repair paths forward. We also partnered with the Department of Water Resources and the California Natural Resources Agency to both learn from them and provide them with public art from our project. This work has been displayed at Verge Center for the Arts (November/December 2025) and the Crocker Art Museum Student and Community Gallery (March/April 2026). This unique opportunity gave 25 student artists—many from communities underrepresented in both science and art— resources and creative freedom to interpret the floodplains through their own lived experience. Guided by our science collaborators’ knowledge of the floodplain’s role in the Bay-Delta Estuary, artists transformed fieldwork into deeply personal narratives. Through this collaborative work, we have coalesced our experiences into stories in the form of photographs, books, a video, a slideshow, and exhibitions with the goal of reconnecting people to the Sacramento Valley floodplains.”

Learn more: 

Understanding primary productivity dynamics in regulated rivers and its value as an indicator for food availability in salmonid habitats 

Authors: Francisco Bellido-Leiva, Nick Corline, Lillian McCormick, Michael Beakes, Josh Israel and Robert A. Lusardi 
When: Monday, September 28, 2026 | 2:50 – 3:10 PM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B10. Session: Foundations of the food web: Understanding phytoplankton and microphytobenthos across managed aquatic systems

Topic: We are exploring stream metabolism dynamics, i.e., a measure of stream energy pathways and their magnitude, in several regulated reaches in California, and how they relate to food-resource availability for native fishes. Using stream metabolism estimates as a proxy for food-web resource availability could improve our monitoring capabilities as it requires far less time and personnel resources and can provide a continuous record instead of discrete measurements. This data can then be used to incorporate a food-web lens in answering many management questions, such as the impact of prescribed environmental flows on habitat productivity. 

One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: How can we holistically understand habitat suitability when food resource monitoring occurs on a quarterly time scale and at a single spatial point?  

Learn more: 

Designing Functional Flow Regimes to Benefit Central Valley Salmon

Authors: Lindsay Murdoch, Sarah Yarnell, Francisco Bellido-Leiva, Bronwen Stanford, Ann-Marie Osterback
When: Monday, September 28, 2026 | 5:15 – 7:15 PM | Poster
Where: Poster, Art, and Networking Reception in Hall D

Topic: Calling all salmon experts! Join us at this interactive poster to design hydrographs to better support multiple Chinook salmon runs in the Central Valley. This activity considers how flow management can provide seasonal signals to support salmon needs, including cold water, floodplain access, and suitable conditions for migration–while recognizing that different salmon runs may have different needs. Dams block much of salmon’s historical habitat, but reservoir operations also offer an important opportunity to improve conditions downstream. This work demonstrates how environmental flows can be tailored to salmon life stages and changing water availability while balancing ecological priorities with real-world operational constraints. One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: Come share your knowledge! 

Learn more: 

Beyond Water Year Types: Operationalizing Interannual Variability with Environmental Flow Regimes 

Authors: Lindsay Murdoch, Sarah Yarnell, Francisco Bellido-Leiva, Jay Lund
When: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 | 9:10–9:30 AM | Oral Presentation
Where: B6-8. Session: Climate-driven Water Management and Integrated Modeling

Topic: This work explores ways to manage environmental flows that reflect the natural variability of rivers rather than relying on a few fixed categories of wet and dry years. The work explores how annual water budgets and estimates of unimpaired flow can guide reservoir releases as hydrologic conditions and forecasts evolve. River ecosystems depend not only on how much water they receive, but also on variation in its timing and magnitude across seasons and years. Treating variability as an explicit management objective could help water managers sustain a wider range of ecological processes while adapting operations to uncertain and changing conditions. One thing I’d like conference attendees to know: Come find me to discuss how we can preserve ecologically-important variability while making environmental-flow policies practical enough for real-time reservoir operations.

Learn more: 

Using Citizen Science to Quantify Prey Types of Piscivorous Birds in the San Francisco Estuary

Authors: Daniella Davis, Lynette Williams Duman, John Durand
When: Tuesday, September 29th, 4:10 – 4:30pm | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B6-8, Session: Unexpected food web dynamics from historic, restored, and managed wetland habitats in Suisun Marsh and the Delta

Topic: There is currently relatively little literature on the diets of birds in the piscivorous birds in the San Francisco Estuary, and diet studies are often difficult and expensive to conduct. We used an online database used by local birders (eBird) to find instances of seven focal bird species feeding in the estuary and identify their prey selections in order to gain a greater understanding of their diets. Our research demonstrates the utility and effectiveness of using easily accessible citizen science in order to gain greater understanding of local ecosystems. This project offers valuable insight into the dietary preferences of the seven focal bird species. Further, our research implies that these birds may not be heavily predating on listed fishes, providing useful information when addressing conservation issues. I’d like attendees to consider the value of citizen science and how it can help us conduct research in cost effective ways that encourage local people to be involved in their environments.

Learn more:

The Story of Splittail: Drivers of Distributions and Abundances for a Native, Migratory Fish in Suisun Marsh

Authors: Kimberly Evans, Graduate Student Researcher; John Durand; Fushing Hsieh, Avidane Ceana Caballero
When: Tuesday, September 29th, 4:30PM – 4:50 PM | Oral presentation
Where: Room B6-8, Session: Unexpected food web dynamics from historic, restored, and managed wetland habitats in Suisun Marsh and the Delta

Topic: I am working to describe the habitat factors that influence Sacramento splittail in Suisun Marsh. Splittail are an iconic & endemic species of the San Francisco Estuary. Many studies have looked at recruitment in their upstream spawning habitat (Yolo Bypass, Lower Cosumnes, North Delta), but fewer investigate what influences their abundances and distributions in their downstream rearing habitat (Suisun Marsh). Understanding these factors can help to inform the full influence of restoration at all life stages.

Learn more: 

Fifteen years of striped bass diet trends in Suisun Marsh

Authors: Abigale Deen, Teejay O’Rear, John Durand (Researcher at CWS)
When: September 28, 5:15-7:15 pm | Poster
Where: Poster, Art, and Networking Reception in Hall D

Topic: Striped bass have been residents of Suisun Marsh since the late 1800s but their diets have never been studied. I am investigating what this apex predator consumes in Suisun Marsh over a span of 15 years through hook-and-line sampling and gastric lavage. Striped bass are resident predators within Suisun Marsh and understanding their diets can provide greater insight into their behavior and trophic interactions with other species. Sampling striped bass outside of managed wetlands in SM will show what food resources that these habitats provide and what their importance is to the broader Suisun Marsh food web.

Learn more: 

Flood pulses in seasonal managed wetlands enhance zooplankton abundances in Suisun Marsh

Authors: Kyle Phillips, … John Durand
When: –, 4:50 – 5:00 PM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B6-8, Session: Unexpected food web dynamics from historic, restored, and managed wetland habitats in Suisun Marsh and the Delta

Abridged Abstract: Managed wetlands have recently been shown to support high densities of zooplankton, a critical resource for pelagic fishes declining region wide, but little is known about the mechanisms that drive increased abundances […]. We sampled zooplankton in managed wetlands and tidal habitats spread across Suisun Marsh over a 6-year period to assess (1) when managed wetlands support high zooplankton abundances, (2) how zooplankton assemblages vary between managed and tidal habitats, and (3) how abundances respond to seasonal flood operations. Findings suggest that managed wetlands function as floodplain analogues whereby primary and secondary production is driven by seasonal flood pulses. 

Learn more:

Under-recognized Managed Wetlands Support Native Fishes and Local Habitats 

Authors: Jake Sousa, . . . John Durand
When: –, 3:50 – 4:10 PM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B6-8, Session: Unexpected food web dynamics from historic, restored, and managed wetland habitats in Suisun Marsh and the Delta

Abridged Abstract: To document the variability and productivity of managed wetlands, and restored sites, we took monthly fish [and zooplankton] samples across multiple sites at two managed wetlands and one restoration site, formerly a managed duck hunting pond. [We found] managed wetlands support orders of magnitude higher levels of primary and secondary productivity than adjacent tidal sloughs. [Also] these under-recognized fish habitats tend to contain a higher proportion of native fishes than their relict or restored counterparts. 

Learn more:

From flood-up to drawdown: flood-pulse effects on phytoplankton productivity in managed wetlands of Suisun Marsh 

Authors: Alice Tung, … John Durand
When: –, 3:30 – 3:50 PM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B6-8, Session: Unexpected food web dynamics from historic, restored, and managed wetland habitats in Suisun Marsh and the Delta

Abridged Abstract: Phytoplankton are a critical food resource supporting aquatic food webs in the San Francisco Estuary. We examined flood-pulse effects on phytoplankton production following fall flood-up across multiple managed wetlands in Suisun Marsh from 2022–2024, alongside observations from a spring leaching cycle in a managed wetland during 2018. Our findings suggest that hydrologic management strongly influences phytoplankton dynamics in Suisun Marsh and that the mechanisms supporting production may differ between seasonal flood pulses. 

Learn more:

Practitioner attitudes and approaches towards adaptive management in Bay-Delta tidal wetlands 

Authors: Elsie Platzer, … John Durand
When: –, 9:50 – 10:10 AM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B6-8, Session: Unexpected food web dynamics from historic, restored, and managed wetland habitats in Suisun Marsh and the Delta

Abridged Abstract: Our study seeks to investigate how adaptive management is actually conceptualized and applied by wetland habitat practitioners working in the California Bay-Delta. We conducted 36 semi-structured interviews with practitioners involved in some capacity with the planning, design, management, or evaluation of wetland habitats in the Bay-Delta region. Though our results are preliminary, this talk will explore how practitioners varied broadly in their goal-setting processes, and how their perceptions of progress towards desired outcomes was at times unrelated to initial goals.

Learn more:

Using Scenario Planning and Hydrodynamic Modeling to Inform Suitability Models for Stakeholder-Selected Species of Interest in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta 

Authors: Lynette Williams Duman, … John Durand
When: –, 10:30 AM – 10:50 AM | Oral Presentation
Where: Room B6-8, Session: Unexpected food web dynamics from historic, restored, and managed wetland habitats in Suisun Marsh and the Delta

Abridged Abstract: “Just Transitions in the Delta (Just Transitions)” combines a scenario-planning framework with hydrodynamic modeling to explore how future landscape configurations of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta may impact salinity within the greater estuary. Using hydrodynamic outputs for temperature and salinity at strategic point locations throughout the San Francisco Estuary, we seek to assess future changes that widespread landscape reconfiguration will have on economics, recreation, water quality, and the ecology of the region. The ecology subteam surveyed public workshop participants in June 2025 to select aspects of Delta ecology that were of particular interest. Our methods establish a framework that can be followed with future hydrodynamic modeling efforts to directly connect species’ abiotic constraints to salinity and temperature outputs to better understand how landscape and flow can interact to expand or contract species distributions.

Learn more:

. . .

See you at the Bay-Delta Science Conference tomorrow!

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