HomeScience, Synthesis & Service

Science, Synthesis and Service

The IEP consists of nine member agencies (three State departments and six federal) along with several key partners. The IEP works to improve the ecological understanding of the San Francisco Estuary while collecting data required for the management of the State Water Project and the Central Valley Water Project. The core of IEP monitoring activities is focused on compliance science associated with State and Federal Endangered Species Acts and State Water Rights Decisions.

Science

IEP participates in science through collaborative monitoring, research, and synthesis efforts focusing on aspects of the aquatic ecosystem in the San Francisco Estuary.​

Our mandate to produce information is grounded in compliance with water and environmental protection, conservation, and recovery (see for example SWRCB, and USFWS and NMFS).​

​The IEP Science Strategy (PDF) outlines 5-year science priorities and management challenges and serves as a subject-matter guide for our management-relevant compliance science.​

The IEP Annual Work Plan (PDF) is a summary of the work our 9 member agencies plan to conduct in the coming year as part of its cooperative mandate in the Bay-Delta.

Brief descriptions of the work plan elements can be found in the IEP Factsheets.

An annual work plan schedule and Communications Plan (PDF) are used by the IEP Coordinators Team and IEP Science Management Team to craft routine monitoring programs.​

For a quick look at some of the data collected by our surveys, check out the online Seasonal Monitoring Report.

Beyond the compliance activities, IEP scientists and agencies participate in a variety of research and experimental projects. These additional, related studies broaden the breadth and understanding of our core compliance monitoring responsibilities.​

Synthesis

Part of our responsibility is to make sense of the data we collect. This analysis process forms the bulk of our Science Management Team conversations, and relies on input from subject matter experts often found in our Project Work Teams. ​

​Sometimes collection of data for one purpose is useful for other purposes, and has led us to form synthesis teams to piece together data into meaningful, synthesized reports.​

Technical publications and peer-reviewed articles are one specific product of these broader synthesis efforts.​

Service

As State and Federal agency employees, we strive to provide usable information about the Bay-Delta Estuary to our agencies and to the public in scientifically-sound and rational ways. ​

  • ​We use public resources to make our data available in responsible ways and in responsive formats to be as transparent as possible about the conduct of our science. ​
  • We embrace the use of Open Science practices and aspire to make our understanding available to all who will benefit from its use.
  • Careers with IEP are rewarding and part of a community of scientists dedicated to public service and supporting public policymaking with reliable information.