IEP Stakeholders News

IEP Datasets

In the past few months, two new IEP datasets have been added to the Environmental Data Initiative, and one existing IEP dataset has been updated. See below for more information on these datasets.

• May 2025, the Fall Midwater Trawl Survey recently published their data package "Interagency Ecological Program: Fish catch and associated water quality for the Fall Midwater Trawl Survey, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, 1967-2024".
• April 2025, the Fish Restoration Program recently uploaded the 5th revision of their data package "Fish Restoration Program Tidal Wetland Restoration Monitoring in Upper San Francisco Estuary 2015-ongoing".
• March 2025, the UC Davis Suisun Marsh Fish Study recently published their data package "UC Davis Suisun Marsh Fish Study, CA, 1980-2024".

Last Call for Issue 2 Newsletter Articles

Article submission deadline for Volume 44, Issue 2 of the IEP Newsletter is June 15, 2025.

The editor for this issue is Virginia Afentoulis (CDFW). Send submission materials and any questions to iep@wildlife.ca.gov.

Visit the IEP Publication Guidelines page for resources, such as:

• IEP Publication Policy
• Quick Guide for Creating Web Accessible Documents
• Guide to Authors: Preparing and submitting your article for publication in the IEP Newsletter
• Photo Use Agreement for submitting photos, drawings, artwork to be included in the newsletter

Greetings IEP Community members,

The Delta Science Program has asked us to share their announcement on a Call for 2025 Delta Synthesis Working Group Ideas and Participants (PDF). Please share with others who may be interested.

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Call for 2025 Delta Synthesis Working Group Ideas and Participants

The Delta Science Program is partnering with the National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis (NCEAS) for a third time to convene a working group in the fall of 2025. In preparation, we are seeking input on priority topics for which existing and publicly available data can be leveraged to inform critical Bay-Delta management needs. If you have an idea for a synthesis topic or are interested in gaining data science or synthesis skills, we want to hear from you! Ideas can be submitted by anyone, regardless of their ability to participate in the group. Likewise, topic submissions are not a prerequisite for participation, as we are also seeking participants eager to build their capacity in synthesis science. See the full announcement (PDF) for more information.

Questions? Visit our Delta Science Program-NCEAS partnership web page and email us at synthesis@deltacouncil.ca.gov to learn more.

Why it matters

Ecological synthesis is a critical component of ecosystem-based management and informed decision-making. NCEAS’s emphasis on open science principles and techniques promotes transparency and data sharing through reproducible data, software, and workflows. The need for increased capacity, dedicated time, and coordinated synthesis is recognized and included as an action in the Delta Science Plan (PDF), Science Action Agenda (PDF), and Interagency Ecological Program Science Strategy (PDF).

Synthesis 101

Synthesis involves integrating existing data and information in new analyses to address new scientific questions. The Delta Science Program leads and coordinates syntheses on key scientific issues important to the management of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. These collaborative efforts aim to update the state of scientific knowledge, guide adaptive management, and identify science needs and data gaps. Visit our science synthesis web page to learn about current and past efforts on topics like mercury, Delta smelt, and more.

Greetings IEP Community members,

Our next quarterly meeting of the IEP PWT Chairs & Stakeholder Group is Wednesday, May 14, 2025 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• May 14 meeting agenda (PDF)

The meeting will be hybrid (in-person + MS Teams) and held at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife office (1010 Riverside Parkway, West Sacramento) in the Golden Trout Conference Room.

If coming in person, send an email to iep@wildlife.ca.gov so we can provide your name to the front desk. Guest WiFi will not be available inside the building, so please bring your phone to hotspot, if needed.

If you'd like to present at a future meeting, or would like to request a topic for a future meeting, send us an email at iep@wildlife.ca.gov.

Kind regards,
IEP Program Support

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The Delta Independent Science Board is seeking public comments on its draft prospectus on contaminant monitoring. Please review the request below and share with others who may be interested.

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Public Comments Wanted: Draft Prospectus on the Contaminants Monitoring Review

The Delta Independent Science Board, which provides scientific oversight of programs that support adaptive management, is proposing a review to assess current contaminant monitoring programs in the Delta and is seeking feedback on the draft prospectus (PDF). The review will focus on how contaminant monitoring programs can effectively inform management and decision-making regarding contaminant sources and ecological risk to aquatic ecosystems. The review will further evaluate the potential of advanced toxicity testing methods (“effect-based methods”) to contribute to a better understanding of the impacts of contaminants on the Delta ecosystem.

The review will include a series of interviews with experts involved in water quality regulation, contaminant monitoring, and risk assessment in the Delta. The Delta ISB is interested in your feedback on programs to review or who to interview.

Please provide comments by 9:00 AM on May 12, 2025. They may be emailed to disb@deltacouncil.ca.gov.

Delta Independent Science Board
disb@deltacouncil.ca.gov
Office: (916) 902-6571
715 P Street, 15-300
Sacramento, CA 95814

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The Cal-Neva AFS would like to invite you to the following upcoming events.

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SAVE THE DATE!
AFS Cal-Neva 2025 Workshop
May 30, 2025
Hutchins Street Square, Lodi, CA

2025 Cal-Neva AFS One-Day Workshop

The Chapter will be hosting a one day workshop Friday, May 30th 2025 at Hutchins Street Square in Lodi, CA. We'll have a full day with a morning poster session, a business meeting luncheon, and an afternoon R Studio training.

• Abstract Submission Form (Poster abstracts due April 30!)

Tentative Schedule

• 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. - Check-in & poster set up
• 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Opening Remarks from Steve Culberson, Delta Stewardship Council & former IEP Lead Scientist
• 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Posters & Pastries Session
• 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Lunch and Annual AFS Business Meeting
• 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - R-Studio Training Session with Eric Holmes, DWR
• 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Poster Award Announcement & Closing Remarks

AFS Santa Cruz Tide Pool Event

Join us for a day of tide pooling, Larry Brown Spawning Run, guest speakers, and more!

• AFS Santa Cruz Tidepool Event Sign Up (Sign up by May 11!)

Renew Your Membership

Your support is crucial for advancing fisheries science and conservation efforts. By renewing, you contribute to AFS’s important work on fisheries policy, professional development, sharing of science, and much more.

By joining or renewing your California-Nevada Chapter membership, the chapter benefits financially as well as from your expertise. Additionally, chapter membership provides you with opportunities to network with other fisheries professionals in your region at our annual events and meetings.

Renew your membership easily by logging into your account: AFS Sign In.

If you encounter any issues logging in, need help adding the CA-NV Chapter to your membership, or believe you received this in error, please reach out to membership@fisheries.org or AFS Membership Manager Kelly Kotche at kkotche@fisheries.org.

We hope you continue to be part of the AFS community!

Future Events

• 42nd Annual Salmonid Restoration Conference April 29-May 2, 2025 Santa Cruz, CA
• 2025 AFS Western Division Annual Meeting May 11-15, 2025 Westminster, CO
• 155th Annual AFS Meeting August 10-14, 2025 San Antonio, TX

Visit the AFS website for other upcoming fisheries meetings and the Cal-Neva AFS Chapter website for more information about us!

Greetings IEP Community Members,

On May 7, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the Delta Science Program will be hosting the final seminar of the Delta Research Awards Seminar Series.

Registration is now open and required to attend! The seminar is free to attend and will be 100% remote on Zoom.

There will be three talks about salmonids and how different tools can inform species management and recovery.

• Standard Operating Procedure for Diagnosing and Addressing Predator Detections in Salmon Telemetry Data
  • Rebecca Buchanan, University of Washington
• Estimating Juvenile Production and Run Timing of Spring Chinook Salmon Leaving the Delta
  • Russell Perry, U.S. Geological Survey Western Fisheries Research Center
• Reorienting to Recovery: Developing an Inclusive, Landscape Scale Process for Central Valley Salmonids, Prioritizing Action and Investments to Achieve Recovery and Minimize Community and Economic Impact
  • Rene Henery, Trout Unlimited

To register, view the Delta Research Awards Seminar Series Flyer (pdf). The flyer also contains links to the recordings of the previously completed Seminars.

Greetings IEP Community Members,

We were requested to share the following announcement with IEP members and other interested stakeholders on a call for session proposals for the upcoming National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration (NCER) 2026. Please share the announcement below with others that may be interested.

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National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration (NCER) April 13-16, 2026 in Omaha Nebraska
Call for Session Proposals and Sponsorship Support

Session Proposal Submission Deadline: Friday, June 6, 2025

The National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration (NCER 2026) will be held April 13-16, 2026, in Omaha, Nebraska. The NCER 2026 theme will focus on the “Return on Investment: How Are We Doing and What Is the Future?” We'll examine ecosystem restoration across the nation and discuss how ROI can guide future planning, funding, and implementation.

This year’s NCER will be a three-day program with a more intimate and interactive format, featuring two concurrent sessions designed to encourage attendee discussion and engagement.

Call for Session Proposals

Restoration professionals nationwide are encouraged to contribute to shaping the NCER program agenda by proposing and organizing sessions within their areas of expertise. This collaborative approach ensures diverse representation across all scales of restoration, fostering integrative, cross-system discussions and facilitating the sharing of region-specific knowledge with a broad audience.

Potential Topics

We have prepared a broad list of session themes to serve as a guide to help proposal submitters, and eventually, abstract submitters, identify the applicable topic. Please do not feel limited to these areas – NCER seeks to capture all emerging topics and new ideas in ecosystem restoration.

Session Format

NCER features two types of session formats – standard format and panel session format. All sessions are 90-minutes long. Indicate your preferred format when uploading the proposal (standard or panel). All sessions are live and in-person. There are no remote presentation options.

• View details about submitting a session proposal.

Become a Sponsor and Support NCER

Budget Sponsorship Now and Divide Payment Over Two Fiscal Years

Your support is vital for us to continue bringing NCER to the ecosystem restoration community.

Organizations, private sector firms and government agencies are invited to become supporting partners in hosting the National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration.

Take advantage of this occasion to generate visibility for your organization and make new contacts.

Benefits of Sponsorship:
• Exhibit in the poster hall and showcase your services
• Rub shoulders with attendees and decisions makers from across the country
• Generate leads for projects, potential contracts, and new collaborations
• Enhance your prominence as a leader in the ecosystem restoration community

Multiple sponsorship levels and accompanying benefits are available.

Add NCER to your budget now, and don't delay. Sign up today!

• Sponsorship Opportunities

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The Chairs of the Delta Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Bloom Strategy Implementation Team will be hosting their first annual Delta CHAB Workshop concurrently with the IEP Workshop on March 6, 2025 (8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) in the California Natural Resources Building. Separate registration from the IEP Workshop is required to attend.

The goal of the workshop is to implement Recommendation 1.5 of the Delta CHAB Monitoring Strategy.

For more information including how to register, see the Delta CHABs Workshop Flyer (PDF).

For questions on the Delta CHABs Workshop, contact Tricia Lee at Tricia.Lee@deltacouncil.ca.gov.

Please share this information with others who may be interested.

Greetings IEP Community Members,

Registration for the IEP Annual Workshop opens February 3, 2025 at 6:00 a.m. The workshop will be a hybrid event held March 4-6, 2025 in the California Natural Resources Agency building auditorium. Participants can come in person or watch remotely.

Registration

The Program, Abstract Book, and Registration links are located on the IEP Annual Workshop page.

Use the "EventBrite Registration" button to attend in-person to see the live presentations in the auditorium.

Use the "ZOOM Registration" button to watch the presentations remotely.

Volunteers Needed!

We still need volunteers to assist as microphone runners and timekeepers in the auditorium, and monitor the 2nd floor overflow room next to the posters. Shifts are half-day, and volunteers will still be able to see and hear the presentations. Interested?

Sign up now! Volunteer Registration Form

Judges Needed!

Every year at the workshop we give an award to an early career scientist with the Best Presentation and Best Poster. Volunteer judges are needed to evaluate candidate presentations and posters.

Interested in being a judge? Contact Ted.Flynn@water.ca.gov

Tips and Ideas on How to Prepare Scientific Presentations and Posters

Don’t forget IEP has a short training course available on February 7, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to provide information on how to prepare an amazing presentation or poster. The training is free and 100% remote.

Sign up Now! Training Course Registration Form

Visit the IEP Annual Workshop page of the IEP website for more information.

Please share this announcement with others and tell them to subscribe to the IEP Workshop listserv.

Kind regards,
IEP Program Support and the 2025 IEP Workshop Planning Committee

Greetings IEP Community,

The Delta Science Program asked us to share their announcement on an upcoming workshop to update the Delta Science Plan. Please share this announcement with others who may be interested. Registration is required to attend.

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The Delta Science Program is developing the third iteration of the Delta Science Plan, centered around Grand Challenges to Delta science. To inform the next Delta Science Plan, the Delta Science Program is hosting a hybrid public workshop from February 20-21, 2025, to solicit input from the community.

The workshop will feature several talks by experts to tee up the concepts relevant to each of the four “Grand Challenges.” With that background, participants will then brainstorm actions, tools, and strategies to address these grand challenges. Speakers include Delta Lead Scientist Dr. Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Dr. Sam Luoma, Dr. Mark Lubell, Dr. Lisa Wainger, and Dr. Laurel Larsen, as well as a panel on Traditional Knowledge integration with Dr. Nina Fontana, Krystal Moreno, Zach Gigone, Zack Emerson, and Rebecca Allen.

A draft agenda (PDF) is available on the events calendar page.

Register Now: Delta Science Plan Workshop Registration