Against the Current: The Critical Need for Large-Scale Floodplain Reconnection in the Central Valley
Session Coordinator: Michael Rogner, Director of Science, River Partners
The industrialization of the Central Valley has resulted in the loss of over 90% of floodplain rearing habitat. The recovery of native fish populations in this region is complicated by the operation of State and Federal water projects and the infrastructure for these which includes 20 major dams, over 1,600 miles of levees, and hundreds of miles of bank revetment. These Projects, while essential for public safety and water reliability, place constraints not only on habitat for these fishes but also on floodplain restoration work within its boundaries, greatly increasing project timelines and costs. The state of anadromous fish in the Central Valley is an escalating, large-scale problem that requires large-scale solutions to be implemented in a shorter timeframe. This session will include examples of floodplain reconnection projects completed or in process on mainstem rivers in the Central Valley. The session will not only discuss different types of projects, but also the successes and setbacks experienced in reducing barriers to implementation.
Lessons Learned from the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, Phillip Street, US. Fish and Wildlife Service
Helping Fish Back to the River: Innovative Fish Passage Gate on Remnant Floodplain, Daniel J. Howes, Ph.D., P.E., Professor and Chairman, Irrigation Training and Research Center, California Polytechnic State University
When the Levee Breaks: Strategic Levee Breaching and Abandonment as Strategy for Floodplain Reconnection and Ecosystem Restoration at Great Valley Grasslands State Park, Merced County, California, Kristan Culbert, Associate Director of California River Conservation, American Rivers
Hydrologic and Hydraulic Modeling Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Master Plan – A Large-Scale Multi-Benefit Planning Effort to Establish a Framework for Flood Risk Reduction and Floodplain Restoration, Patrick Ho, P.E., MBK Engineers
Fish Go Where Water Flows: Examining Pre-European Flood Processes to Recalibrate Our Restoration Efforts for the Next Century, Eric M. Ginney, Environmental Science Associates
Evolving Stream Habitats And Managed Flow Regimes To Support Floodplain Rearing Of Juvenile Chinook Salmon, Derek Rupert M.S., Bureau of Reclamation