IEP Stakeholders News

Open Call for Abstracts for the 2027 IEP Annual Workshop
Submissions due November 6, 2026 (11:59 p.m.)
Late submissions will not be accepted

We are now accepting abstracts for the March 2-4, 2027 IEP Annual Workshop.

Participants wishing to present an oral talk, lightning talk, or poster must submit an abstract (2,000 characters or less = 300 words) and complete the abstract submission form.

Abstract Submission Form

There are 13 topics for abstract submissions. An author may select up to 3 that best describes the work to be presented.

1. Monitoring Modernization & Survey Redesign – Research focused on redesigning long-term monitoring program, evaluating new sample frames, gear efficiency, electronic data capture, or integration across agencies.
2. Technology, Automation & AI-Enhanced Tools – Research involving automated video review, machine learning, drones, hyperspectral imagery, remote sensors, or software that improves monitoring efficiency.
3. Fish Ecology & Population Dynamics (Smelt, Salmonids, Other Species) – Research on fish life histories, survival models, supplementation, telemetry, habitat use, recruitment patterns, and species interactions.
4. Hydrodynamics, Flow & Physical Processes – Studies linking flow, residence time, circulation, stratification, X2 dynamics, or physical drivers of ecological responses in the estuary.
5. Wetlands, Habitat Restoration & Food Webs – Work examining restoration outcomes, marsh productivity, trophic pathways, managed wetlands, or food web subsidies exported to adjacent habitats.
6. Water Quality, Contaminants & Toxicology – Research on contaminant mixtures, pollutant fate and transport, toxicity scoring, water chemistry changes, or ecological responses to chemical stressors.
7. Harmful Algal Blooms & Cyanotoxins – Projects addressing bloom drivers, metagenomics, early warning systems, toxin monitoring, ecological impacts, or HAB coordination efforts.
8. Genomics, eDNA & Advanced Molecular Tools – Studies utilizing eDNA, metabarcoding, SHERLOCK assays, genetic markers, or other molecular innovations for species detection or ecosystem assessment.
9. Climate Change, Extreme Events & System Resilience – Research exploring drought, heatwaves, salinity intrusion, wildfire associated contaminants, extreme hydrology, or resilience indicators.
10. Integrated Modeling, Forecasting & Decision-Support Tools – Work presenting coupled models, forecasting systems, Bayesian approaches, conceptual models, or applied management tools.
11. Cross-Agency Coordination & Integrated Monitoring Frameworks – Work highlighting multi agency survey alignment, shared sample frames, coordinated pilot studies, or collaborative science efforts.
12. Human Dimensions, Data Management & Science Communication – Research or tools addressing data systems, data governance, visualization, accessibility, communication strategies, or social dimensions of monitoring.
13. Other – Any other topic not identified above.

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Details

We welcome submissions from all IEP member agencies, affiliates, and stakeholders at all career levels. Preliminary work is welcome.

Participants are limited to one abstract as primary presenting author but may be a contributing author on any number of other submissions. If you have collaborators presenting related work and are interested in putting a session together provide their names and affiliation in the submission form.

Space to present in the program is limited. Selection is not guaranteed. All presenters including primary poster authors must attend the workshop in person. Abstracts will be selected based on various criteria such as relevance to IEP's mission and work plan, originality, collaboration, scientific merit, and career stage of the presenter.

Share this announcement and Call for Abstracts flyer (PDF) with your colleagues and others who may be interested in presenting at the workshop.

IEP Workshop

The workshop will be held March 2-4, 2027 at the headquarters building of the California Natural Resources Agency (715 P Street) in Sacramento, CA. The workshop is a free, hybrid event (in person and remote). Registration to attend the workshop is required.

Workshop Updates

To receive updates on the IEP workshop, subscribe to the IEP Workshop email. Visit the subscribe page on the IEP website to sign up for the IEP Annual Workshop email list and any other IEP email lists of interest (e.g., Stakeholders, IEP Newsletter, Job Opportunities, Science Stories blog, etc.).

Tell your colleagues who are not subscribed to sign up to receive notifications.

Questions

Questions on the abstract submission process or the workshop can be directed to the workshop organizing chair, Adam Nanninga (adam_nanninga@fws.gov) and IEP Program Support, Christine Joab (iep@wildlife.ca.gov).

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS COMING SOON!

Join us for the Interagency Ecological Program's Annual Workshop in March 2027.

The workshop is where IEP member agencies and partners share their research findings from ongoing monitoring programs and research studies being conducted in the San Francisco Estuary. The event also serves as an opportunity to foster collaboration and helps members build partnerships across the Bay-Delta community.

SAVE THE DATES: March 2-4, 2027
FLYER: Save The Dates 2027 IEP Workshop (PDF)
VENUE: California Natural Resources Agency Headquarters Building (Auditorium)
COST: Free (registration required). Registration opens early February 2027.
FORMAT: Hybrid event (in-person and virtual)

To receives updates, subscribe to the IEP Workshop listserv.

More information will be posted on the Annual IEP Workshop page.

Got questions? Contact Adam Nanninga (adam_nanninga@fws.gov) and Christine Joab (iep@wildlife.ca.gov).

Greetings IEP Stakeholders,

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board asked us to share the announcement below concerning their Notice of Public Solicitation for the 2027 Joint Triennial Review for the Water Quality Control Plan for the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River Basins and the Water Quality Control Plan for the Tulare Lake Basin.

Any comments or questions about the notice or providing comments can be directed to the Water Board contact listed in the announcement below.

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Notice of Public Solicitation for the 2027 Joint Triennial Review of the Water Quality Control Plans for the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River Basins and the Tulare Lake Basin

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Central Valley Water Board or Board) is initiating the triennial review process for the Water Quality Control Plan for the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River Basins and the Water Quality Control Plan for the Tulare Lake Basin (Basin Plans).

Since the reviews of both Basin Plans are occurring concurrently, the public may provide comments on either or both Basin Plan(s). Written comments will be accepted during the 45-day solicitation period at the Rancho Cordova office and through email. Staff will compile comments for the appropriate Basin Plan and use them to inform the development of the draft 2027 Triennial Review Workplan. In the written comments, please provide the information in Attachment 1 of the Solicitation Notice. The notice can be found by clicking the button below, or by navigating to the Central Valley Water Board Triennial Review webpage.

Written comments should be submitted by 02 October 2026 either by mail or by email to:

Mason Gatti
Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board
11020 Sun Center Drive, #200, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Email: r5triennial-review@waterboards.ca.gov

More information on the Triennial Review process, including the 2024 Workplan, can be accessed at the Central Valley Water Board's Triennial Review webpage.

• Solicitation Notice (PDF)

Greetings IEP Community Members,

Please see below for information on our 2027 IEP Workshop planning invitation, IEP data updates, and scientific papers.

2027 IEP Workshop - Call for Planning Volunteers

IEP is starting the planning for the 2027 IEP Annual Workshop. The workshop is scheduled for March 2-4, 2027 at the California Natural Resources Agency headquarters in Sacramento.

If you are interested in participating on the planning team, send an email to iep@wildlife.ca.gov and cc Adam Nanninga (Organizing Chair) adam_nanninga@fws.gov. There will be 8 planning meetings from September to January to complete the event planning process. Our first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 3, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Meeting details are in the workshop planning calendar. If you cannot make the first meeting and want to participate, send us an email to be added to the list.

Background Materials

• 2027 Workshop Planning Calendar (PDF)
• Workshop Principles (PDF)
• Workshop Planning Committee Roles & Responsibilities (PDF)

IEP Datasets

Two IEP Program Elements recently updated their datasets on EDI.

• IEP Program Element 033 – 20-mm Survey
  • Data for 2025 was added to EDI. 2026 data is still being processed and is expected to be available by the end of the year.
    • Interagency Ecological Program (IEP), C. Brennan, V. Mora, J. Oceguera Zavala, and J.A. Jimenez. 2026. Interagency Ecological Program San Francisco Estuary 20-mm Survey 1995 - 2025 ver 6. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/30e97afc21f9a38a4ba5ece199f70907 (Accessed 2026-08-21)
• IEP Program Element 096 – Smelt Larva Survey
  • In May 2026, this group updated their dataset on EDI.
    • Interagency Ecological Program (IEP), C. Brennan, V. Mora, J. Oceguera Zavala, and J.A. Jimenez. 2026. Interagency Ecological Program San Francisco Estuary Smelt Larva Survey 2009 – 2026 ver 12. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/3aab009da4acf0b75b1a27e882d33b79 (Accessed 2026-08-21)

Publications

Several articles from IEP members and stakeholders have recently been published. Below is a list of those shared with us.

• He M, Sandhu P. 2026. Machine Learning for Water and Environmental Modeling in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta of California: A 30-Year Retrospective and Future Prospects. Water. 18(14): 1763. Available from:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/18/14/1763
• Hobbs JA, Sellheim K, Sweeney JK, Stompe DK, Kelly JT, Ervin J, Willmes M, Rosenfield JA, Wren I, Mevoli A, Senn DB, Odkins K, Rinde J, Tighe D and Lewis LS (2026) Mass mortality of aquatic organisms in the San Francisco Estuary – using community science to document the impacts of a severe harmful algal bloom. Front. Mar. Sci. 13:1893110. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1893110
• Rigby CR, Gaeta JW. 2026. Evaluating Patterns of Juvenile Chinook Salmon Out-Migration During Pulse Flow Events in California's Sacramento River to Inform Operations of a Newly Proposed Water Infrastructure Project. River Research and Applications. n/a(n/a). https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.70155
• Riggio J, Fradet DT, Kindel AS, Mah M, Zumdahl KA, Ferrell M, Engilis A. 2026. Rapid responses of marsh birds to large-scale tidal wetland restoration in California's Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. Rest Ecol. n/a(n/a): e70453. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70453
• Platzer E, Phillips K, O'Rear T, Durand J. 2026. Silverside gold mine? Restored tidal habitats host abundant invasive fishes in a novel California marsh (U.S.A.). Rest Ecol. n/a(n/a): e70452. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70452
• Merz JE, Dean C, Flores B, Karpenko K, Ross K, Veary A. 2026. Multitrophic responses to tidal marsh restoration: early effects of channel configuration on water quality, aquatic food web structure, and fish communities. Rest Ecol. n/a(n/a): e70422. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70422
• Williams Duman L, Holst M, Platzer E, Phillips K, Durand J. 2026. Fish assemblage at a newly restored tidal wetland reflects surrounding waterways in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Rest Ecol. n/a(n/a): e70414. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70414
• Finger AJ, LaCava MEF, Carson EW, Hobbs JA, Hung T-C, Nobriga ML, Polansky L, Waples RS. 2026. Lag in Effective Population Size Decline Amid Demographic Collapse: A Case Study of the Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus). Molecular Ecology. 35(10): e70410. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70410
• Stinson SA, Baerwald MR, Yamahara K, Scherer A, Karpenko Y, Dean C, Espe MB, Schumer G, Brown S, Schreier B et al. 2026. Locating Little Larvae: Environmental DNA Methods Can Detect a Rare Fish Species Under Field Estuarine Conditions. Environmental DNA. 8(2): e70287. https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70287

Climate Bond Grant Program Announcement

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Board voted to approve two new solicitation notices that will primarily be funded by the Proposition 4 Climate Bond.

1. The Delta Community, Environment, and Climate Grant Program: This program will fund multi-benefit projects in the Delta and Suisun Marsh.
2. A Small Grant Program: This program will fund projects under $100,000 that make transformative investments in the Delta's social, economic, scientific, and physical infrastructure.

The Conservancy will solicit proposals that focus on at least one of three priorities, as described below:

• Nature Based Solutions: Projects that help stop or reverse ongoing subsidence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on highly organic soils by supporting farmers transitioning to rice cultivation or managed wetlands and providing them with technical assistance.
• Community Enhancement: Projects that improve outdoor access, preserve the Delta's heritage, or enhance the unique values of the Delta. Examples include planning, land acquisition, trails, parks, environmental education, or historic building renovations.
• Ecosystem Restoration: Projects that protect and restore the Delta and Suisun Marsh's natural resources, environment, and biodiversity. Examples include planning; education; habitat restoration; enhancement, and protection; watershed resilience; land acquisitions; and conservation easements.

The Conservancy expects to release these detailed solicitation notices in September 2026.

More information on these solicitations will be available on their website under the Proposition 4 Climate Bond Grant Program.

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ABOUT THE SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN DELTA CONSERVANCY

Working collaboratively with local communities, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy leads efforts to protect, enhance, and restore the Delta’s economy, agriculture and working landscapes, and environment for the benefit of the Delta region, its local communities, and the citizens of California.

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The State Water Contractors would like us to share the announcement on their upcoming Summer Science Symposium - Cleaner Waters and Broader Benefits: Lessons from the Convergence of Physical, Biological, and Chemical Restoration.

Registration is required to attend, so please RSVP to science@swc.org to save your spot.

This workshop aims to advance a more integrated approach towards co-managing contaminants for broader ecosystem benefits in the Bay-Delta and watersheds.

Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. with a Social hour to follow.
Place: Capitol Event Center at the MAY Building - 1020 11th St., Sacramento

The formal agenda will be sent closer to the event.

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The Delta Coordination Group's Science and Monitoring Work Group, an interagency team of government scientists and resource managers, recently released their report "Summer-Fall Habitat Actions for Delta Smelt — Report on Effectiveness of Actions Taken Between 2011 and 2024 (PDF)".

This report describes the science behind the Delta Smelt Summer-Fall Habitat Action, including Fall X2 and the operation of the Suisun Marsh Salinity Control Gates. It provides a weight-of-evidence approach to evaluate the effectiveness of the actions intended to improve Delta smelt habitat, survival, and recruitment.

Questions? Contact Rosemary Hartman at the California Department of Water Resources (Rosemary.Hartman@water.ca.gov).

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The Aquatic Vegetation Project Work Team plans to host a free Delta Aquatic Identification Workshop in September if there is enough interest. Please complete this survey by June 12.

• Aquatic Vegetation Identification Workshop Survey

Tentative Agenda

During the first half of the workshop, experts will give presentations covering common species of emergent, floating, and submersed aquatic vegetation found in the Bay-Delta ecosystem, including native and non-native species. During the second half, participants will get hands-on identification experience with live specimens of many of the species covered in the presentations. The workshop will be approximately four hours and will likely take place at the California Department of Water Resources West Sacramento office (3500 Industrial Blvd., West Sacramento, CA 95691).

Feel free to share this survey link with others.

Nicholas Rasmussen and Shruti Khanna
Co-chairs of the Aquatic Vegetation Project Work Team

Greetings IEP Community Members,

The Delta Science Program would like us to share the announcement from the National Academies on their call for experts for Cycle #2 Central Valley Project & State Water Project Review. Nominations are due this Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Review of the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project: Cycle 2

We are seeking experts to participate in a study on monitoring and modeling to support long-term operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. To be considered, please submit your nomination by May 22, 2026.

• Nomination Link

The National Academies are convening an ad hoc committee to conduct a biennial review of the scientific activities that support the long-term operations of the Central Valley Project (CVP). Conducted alongside the State Water Project, these coordinated federal-state water operations move millions of acre-feet of water annually across California and have implications for species protected under the Endangered Species Act. This second cycle of the review will focus on monitoring and modeling improvements to better understand how ecosystem functions are affected by project operations.

We are seeking suggestions for experts with experience in the following areas:

• Fish biology, ecology, genetics, modeling, and monitoring
• Habitat restoration
• Freshwater ecology
• Climate science
• Endangered Species Act and other relevant laws and regulations
• Water resources management, including reservoir operations
• Surface water hydrology, including estuarine circulation
• Statistics or biostatistics

Selected experts may contribute as committee members, speakers, participants, or peer reviewers for the resulting consensus study and report. Nominations will inform the development of a volunteer committee and related activities for this study.

Submissions are due by May 22, 2026, at 11:59 PM (ET).

You’re Invited – Delta ISB Panel on Nature-based Solutions

Over the coming months, the Delta Independent Science Board will host a series of panels to explore nature-based solutions, including associated challenges and needs, to help shape a potential review that is meaningful and useful for the Delta community.

The first panel will take place on May 22, 2026 at 1 pm at the Board’s meeting, focusing on perspectives from State agencies to understand what is happening in California. Panelists include:

• Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Agency
• Campbell Ingram, Delta Conservancy
• Tawny Mata, California Department of Food and Agriculture
• Nick Martorano, State Water Resources Control Board, and
• Steve Rothert, California Department of Water Resources.

Later in the year, the Delta ISB will also host panels focused on work at the national level and within the Delta.

You can participate via Zoom or in-person at the California Natural Resources Agency (Room 2-302, 715 P St, Sacramento, CA 95814).

See the meeting notice for additional information (PDF).

Questions? Contact disb@deltacouncil.ca.gov