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Suisun Marsh Program OverviewSuisun Marsh Program Overview


Prepared for:

State Water Resources Control Board

Prepared by

Paul Massera

California Department of Water Resources

March 19, 2008

Prepared for:

State Water Resources Control Board

Prepared by

Paul Massera

California Department of Water Resources

March 19, 2008

Recieved March 19, 2008


LocationLocation


Project AreaProject Area

� 52,000 acres of seasonal non-tidal (managed) wetlands

� 6,300 acres of tidal wetlands

� 27,700 acres upland grassland

� 30,000 acres bays and sloughs

� 52,000 acres of seasonal non-tidal (managed) wetlands

� 6,300 acres of tidal wetlands

� 27,700 acres upland grassland

� 30,000 acres bays and sloughs


FacilitiesFacilities


Salinity Control GatesSalinity Control Gates


SMSCG Operation Frequency Versus OutflowSMSCG Operation Frequency Versus Outflow

Num

ber

of

Gate

Opera

tion D

ays

1997

1999

2006

19962007

2008

199820051995

20011989 2004

19922000

2003

19901993

1991

1994

2002

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000

Average OCT-NOV-DEC Outflow

Drought Years

Salmon Passage Study Years

Post NOAA Fisheries Agreement


SMSCG Operation Frequency Versus OutflowSMSCG Operation Frequency Versus Outflow

1990

2000

1992

1991 2001

1994

1989

2007

19932002

2005

2003 2004 1999 1996 1997 1998 2006

1995

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000

Num

ber

of

Gate

Opera

tion D

ays

Average Jan through May Outflow


Initial Suisun Marsh Program PurposeInitial Suisun Marsh Program Purpose

� Mitigate salinity impacts from State and Federal Water Projects (due to reduced Delta outflow)

� Mitigate salinity impacts from State and Federal Water Projects (due to reduced Delta outflow)


Agreements, Obligations and PlanningAgreements, Obligations and Planning

� Suisun Marsh Preservation Agreement (SMPA)

� Regulatory obligations specified in D1641

� Suisun Marsh Plan (SMP)

� Suisun Marsh Preservation Agreement (SMPA)

� Regulatory obligations specified in D1641

� Suisun Marsh Plan (SMP)


Suisun Marsh Preservation AgreementSuisun Marsh Preservation Agreement

� Control salinity for managed wetlands within the Marsh

� Improve Marsh wildlife habitat

� Recognize that landowners in the Marsh divert water for wildlife habitat management

� Revised SMPA was signed in 2005 � Made channel water salinity requirements consistent with D1641� Landowner water and management activities in-lieu of additional

large scale water management facilities

� Control salinity for managed wetlands within the Marsh

� Improve Marsh wildlife habitat

� Recognize that landowners in the Marsh divert water for wildlife habitat management

� Revised SMPA was signed in 2005 � Made channel water salinity requirements consistent with D1641� Landowner water and management activities in-lieu of additional

large scale water management facilities


Water Rights Decision 1641Water Rights Decision 1641

� Numerical salinity standards

� Narrative standards� Meeting salinity needs for all beneficial uses in

the Marsh

� Numerical salinity standards

� Narrative standards� Meeting salinity needs for all beneficial uses in

the Marsh


� Preserve and enhance managed seasonal wetlands

� Implement a comprehensive levee protection/improvement program

� Protect Delta water quality

� Restore habitat for tidal marsh-dependent sensitive species

� Maintain consistency with the CALFED Bay-Delta Program's strategic goals and objectives.

� Preserve and enhance managed seasonal wetlands

� Implement a comprehensive levee protection/improvement program

� Protect Delta water quality

� Restore habitat for tidal marsh-dependent sensitive species

� Maintain consistency with the CALFED Bay-Delta Program's strategic goals and objectives.

Suisun Marsh Plan ObjectivesSuisun Marsh Plan Objectives


Suisun Marsh Plan PEIR/EISSuisun Marsh Plan PEIR/EIS

� Developing potential alternatives (currently)

� Assess environmental benefits, impacts and

other trade-offs of potential alternatives

� Public Draft End of 2008

� Developing potential alternatives (currently)

� Assess environmental benefits, impacts and

other trade-offs of potential alternatives

� Public Draft End of 2008


Participating AgenciesParticipating Agencies

� U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)

� U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)

� California Department of Fish and Game (DFG)

� Suisun Resource Conservation District (SRCD)

� California Department of Water Resources (DWR)

� U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

� NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries)

� San Francisco Bay-Delta Science Consortium (Bay-Delta Consortium)

� California Bay-Delta Authority (CBDA)

� CALFED Ecosystem Restoration, Levees, Drinking Water, and Science Programs

� State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)

� Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)

� US Geological Survey (USGS)

� U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)

� U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)

� California Department of Fish and Game (DFG)

� Suisun Resource Conservation District (SRCD)

� California Department of Water Resources (DWR)

� U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

� NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries)

� San Francisco Bay-Delta Science Consortium (Bay-Delta Consortium)

� California Bay-Delta Authority (CBDA)

� CALFED Ecosystem Restoration, Levees, Drinking Water, and Science Programs

� State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)

� Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)

� US Geological Survey (USGS)


Recent AchievementsRecent Achievements

� The SMP is a functioning collaborative that balances beneficial uses

� Favorable position for implementing plan while protecting beneficial uses

� Restored 70 acres of tidal marsh in 2007

� Shared knowledge base from extensive data collection, modeling and other studies

� The SMP is a functioning collaborative that balances beneficial uses

� Favorable position for implementing plan while protecting beneficial uses

� Restored 70 acres of tidal marsh in 2007

� Shared knowledge base from extensive data collection, modeling and other studies


Further OpportunitiesFurther Opportunities

� Potential for other Delta initiatives to leverage

opportunities in the Marsh

� Complete PEIS/EIR by end of 2009

� Expand shared knowledge base by monitoring

recent restoration actions

� SWRCB staff continue to participate in planning

and implementation

� Potential for other Delta initiatives to leverage

opportunities in the Marsh

� Complete PEIS/EIR by end of 2009

� Expand shared knowledge base by monitoring

recent restoration actions

� SWRCB staff continue to participate in planning

and implementation


Questions?Questions?


5

7

9

11

13

15

17

19

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

SC

mm

ho

s/c

m

Kilometers upstream from A96 (western Suisun Bay)

N

Suisun Marsh

S71

A96

S54

S49

S64

Average salinity gradient one

day before SMSCG operation

Average salinity gradient 10 days

after SMSCG Operation

S49

Beldons

Landing

Salinity transect

depicted in plot

S54

S64

A96

C2

C2SMSCG

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

1993 1994 1999 2000 2002 2003 2005 7-yr

Outflow Index

Before OpAfter Op

S71

SMSCG effect on Montezuma SloughSMSCG effect on Montezuma Slough


0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Suisun MarshSuisun MarshSuisun MarshSuisun Marsh

SC

mm

ho

s/c

m

Kilometers upstream from Martinez

N

Suisun Marsh

Average salinity gradient one

10 days after SMSCG operation

Average salinity gradient

1 day before SMSCG Operation

Salinity transect

depicted in plot

SMSCG

Martinez

PortChicago

Collinsville

Antioch

Martinez

Pt Chicago Chipps Is

Collinsville

Antioch

Chipps Is

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

1993 1994 1999 2000 2002 2003 2005 7-yr

Outflow Index

Before OpAfter Op

SMSCG effect on Suisun BaySMSCG effect on Suisun Bay

Shift in “X2”

Shift in “X2”

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