IEP Stakeholders News

Greetings IEP Stakeholders,

The Culture and Supplementation of Smelt (CASS) steering committee has released their annual memo (pdf) to solicit proposals for the use of cultured Delta Smelt originating from the FCCL for the 2024-year class. Please review the annual memo (pdf) to familiarize yourself on the process of how to submit a proposal for CASS review.

Please note the following: there will only be one solicitation for proposals for the 2024 brood year fish. Requests must be submitted to the director of the FCCL, Dr. Tien-Chieh Hung at thung@ucdavis.edu on or before September 30, 2023.

Please share this announcement with others, as appropriate.

Kind regards,
IEP Program Support Unit
iep@wildlife.ca.gov

Greetings IEP Community Members,

Our next IEP PWT Chair & Stakeholder Group meeting is Wednesday, August 9, 2023 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• Meeting Agenda (PDF) - the link to join is included in the agenda

This will be a hybrid meeting (MS Teams + in-person). Meeting location is the CDFW West Sacramento office (1010 Riverside Parkway, West Sacramento) in the CA Poppy Conference Room.

Note: In-person attendees must sign-in at the front desk. Also, no guest WiFi is available, so bring your own mobile hotspot, if needed.

Send an email to iep@wildlife.ca.gov to let us know if you'll be attending in-person or if you have questions.

Kind regards,
IEP Program Support Unit
iep@wildlife.ca.gov

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The video recordings from the 2023 IEP Annual Workshop are now available for viewing. The recordings are housed on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's YouTube channel under the IEP Workshops 2023 playlist. The playlist contains the following three videos:

• 2023 Interagency Ecological Program - Annual Workshop - Day 1 (video)
• 2023 Interagency Ecological Program - Annual Workshop - Day 2 (video)
• 2023 Interagency Ecological Program - Annual Workshop - Day 3 (video)

Other information pertaining to the 2023 Annual Workshop can be found on the Annual IEP Workshop web page.

2024 IEP Workshop Planning Committee

A kickoff meeting for the Workshop Planning Committee meeting will be held in August. If you are interested in helping to plan the 2024 IEP Annual Workshop, send an email to iep@wildlife.ca.gov to receive more information.

Greetings IEP Stakeholders,

The Delta ISB, with support from the Delta Science Program, has been hosting a seminar series to explore ideas from decision-making under deep uncertainty (DMDU) and present tools that can help managers and stakeholders evaluate and plan for a range of plausible futures in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Since part of the IEP’s mission is to address management and policy science needs within the ever-changing Delta, this seminar series may be of particular interest.

On June 14 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. during the Delta ISB meeting, the series’ second seminar will feature Robert Lempert, principal researcher at the RAND Corporation and director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for Longer Range Global Policy and the Future Human Condition, who will present examples of successful applications of tools for DMDU, and Andrew Schwarz, the State Water Project climate action coordinator for the California DWR, who will present on his department’s use of DMDU. If you were unable to attend the April seminar "Decision Making-under Deep Uncertainty Seminar #1 (Alice Hill)" (Video), you can watch the recording on the Council's YouTube channel.

You can register to attend in person at the CNRA building in Sacramento, or virtually via zoom. We hope to see you there!

Additionally, the Delta ISB is still seeking comments on the Decision-Making Under Deep Uncertainty draft prospectus for its review by 5:00 p.m. on June 26, 2023. They may be emailed to disb@deltacouncil.ca.gov. If you use scenario planning or conduct any type of uncertainty analysis for decision support purposes in the Delta, please provide the information as part of your public comment. Find more information in the draft prospectus Science Supporting Decision Making Under Deep Uncertainty (PDF).

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The Delta Independent Science Board, which provides scientific oversight of programs that support adaptive management, would like your feedback on draft prospectuses for its two upcoming reviews: (1) food-webs (PDF) and (2) subsidence (PDF). Public comments are due on May 31, 2023 and can be submitted to disb@deltacouncil.ca.gov. You can also submit oral comments by attending the Board’s May 17 meeting.

On May 17 at 10:30 a.m., the Delta ISB will meet to discuss its reviews and activities. Board members will review and hear public comments received on their draft prospectuses for reviews on subsidence and food webs relevant to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Members of the public who wish to present oral comments are encouraged to attend in person or via zoom. Additional meeting details can be found in the meeting notice (PDF).

If you have questions, please contact the Board at disb@deltacouncil.ca.gov or at (916) 902-6571.

Greetings IEP Community Members,

Our next IEP PWT Chairs & Stakeholders Group meeting is Wednesday, May 10, 2023, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

This will be a virtual MS Teams meeting only. The link to join the meeting is included in the Meeting Agenda (pdf).

If you have any questions, send an email to iep@wildlife.ca.gov.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting!

Kind regards,
IEP Program Support Unit
iep@wildlife.ca.gov

Greetings IEP Community Members,

Andrea Jaegge of the USGS California Water Science Center asked us to share the information below for those working on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).

Dear Colleagues,

Please consider submitting an abstract for the HABs session at the upcoming 2023 Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) Conference.

27th Biennial CERF Conference
Resilience & Recovery
Portland, Oregon, USA
12 –16 November 2023

CERF 2023 Call for Abstracts
Abstract Deadline: 20 May 2023

CERF 2023 Session:
Advances in harmful algal bloom (HAB) research across the freshwater to marine continuum
Keith Bouma-Gregson, U.S. Geological Survey; Andrea Jaegge, U.S. Geological Survey; Beth Stauffer, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Hans Paerl, University of North Carolina

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) represent a threat to human and ecosystem health across the freshwater to coastal continuum worldwide. Estuaries are particularly prone to HAB impacts from delivery, or in situ growth, of both freshwater and marine taxa. With continued anthropogenic pressure and climate change, HAB impacts are expected to increase. Resilience and recovery of impacted ecosystems can only occur through better understanding of HAB impacts on: ecosystem function and health; environmental drivers supporting occurrences and toxin production; and successful mitigation and management strategies. This session welcomes novel advances in HAB research and management across the freshwater to marine continuum.

Questions? Contact Andrea Jaegge, PhD (she/her) from the U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center at ajaegge@usgs.gov or 803-760-8521.

2023 IEP Workshop Registration Links Now Posted!

The registration links for the 2023 Annual IEP Workshop are now posted to the Annual IEP Workshop web page. We are using Eventbrite for the in-person registration platform and Zoom for the remote registration. Registration for in-person attendance will open on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. The Zoom registration for virtual attendance is now open.

For the in-person attendance, it is one ticket per person. On the Eventbrite page, please only register for the day(s) in which you plan to attend in-person. Also, we are looking for people to volunteer to be a guest judge for the Early Career Oral Presentation & Poster Award. This award is given to the student and/or early career scientist who has the best oral presentation and poster. If you are interested in being a judge, please reserve a ticket and we will contact you with more information on how to participate.

For the remote attendance, the link will work for all three days of the workshop. Do not share your Zoom registration link with others as it is unique for each registrant. Remote users will be able to post questions to presenters through the Question-and-Answer feature during the workshop. If a presenter does not have time to answer your question, the questions will be provided to speakers after the workshop. It will be up to the discretion of the speakers to reach out to participants via email to respond to any unanswered questions.

Early Career Luncheon

Also, if you are a student and/or early career scientist and you'll be attending the workshop on Tuesday, sign up to sit and have lunch with a career scientist to discuss career opportunities, pathways and experiences. Our mentor volunteers have experience working in state and federal agencies, academic institutions, and consulting firms. It is a free lunch being sponsored by the State Water Contractors. Seating is limited and registration is required. Visit the Annual IEP Workshop web page for the registration link.

IEP Training Courses

Finally, don't forget to sign up for one of the two IEP training courses! These classes will be held on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the CNRA Building. Visit the Annual IEP Workshop web page for the registration link.

Kind regards,

IEP Program Support Unit

Greetings IEP Community Members,

Everyone has been waiting in anticipation for the 2023 IEP Annual Workshop. Registration for in-person attendance and virtual attendance will open February 28, 2023. The registration links will be posted to the Annual IEP Workshop web page and distributed via the IEP Workshop email listserv, and this stakeholder listserv. It would be great to see everyone in person, unfortunately, seating is limited in the auditorium. Tickets for the in-person event will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Once seating capacity for each day is reached, only virtual attendance will be available.

The Workshop Program and Presentation Abstracts Booklet have been posted. For posters, we have 54 to share this year, which will be showcased on the 2nd floor. Make sure to visit the poster authors during the scheduled poster sessions on Tuesday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 22. Poster abstracts and images will be shared later on the IEP online Poster Discussion Forum so remote participants can check them out after the workshop. The presentations in the auditorium will be recorded and made available (later) under the IEP Workshops Playlist on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife YouTube channel. So, if you miss a session, you’ll be able to watch it later at your own convenience!

Registration is now open for the early career luncheon and two IEP training courses. More information on these events has been posted to the Annual IEP Workshop web page. Registration is FREE for all events.

• Early Career Luncheon (Tuesday, March 21) 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Great networking opportunity for students and early career scientists.
• Two IEP Training Courses (Friday, March 24) 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Introduction to GIS with QGIS (beginner class)
  • Introduction to Hierarchical Models in R with Application to Abundance Modeling (advanced class)

Transportation & Parking:
The California Natural Resources Building is in downtown Sacramento. Parking garages and lots are located nearby. The Sacramento Regional Transit has bus and light rail stations nearby.

Food:
The California Natural Resources Building has food vendors located inside the building on the first floor.
There are additional food establishments within walking distance of the building.

Questions? Send them to iep@wildlife.ca.gov

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The Delta Science Program would like to share that the 2022 edition of the State of Bay-Delta Science (SBDS) is now online in the latest issue of San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science. Seven articles comprise the issue, summarizing the scientific understanding, or “the state of the science,” of plants and algae in the Bay-Delta. Individual articles explore important ecosystem services and disservices, including primary production, the ecology and management of aquatic vegetation, remote sensing methods, harmful algal blooms, and carbon sequestration and subsidence reversal.

Visit the SBDS website to learn more about this ongoing synthesis effort.