1. Fish Migration Improvement Opportunities in CVFPP Conservation Strategy Planning Areas Department of Water Resources A. Marc Commandatore Senior Environmental Scientist California Department of Water Resources FloodSAFE Environmental Stewardship and Statewide Resources Office (FESSRO) Fish Passage Improvement Program Angelo.commandatore@water.ca.gov 916-651-9630 Presentation prepared for: YBFET November 19, 2013 http://water.ca.gov/cvfmp/meetings/

2. Background 2 Our Fish Migration Improvement Opportunities (FMIO) work is for the 2017 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP) update. FMIO work is a subset of the Conservation Strategy which is the environmental complement to the CVFPP. The Conservation Strategy also addresses floodplain inundation, riparian habitat, and native species recovery. The FMIO work is focused on fish migration and fish passage only.

3. Problem Statement Several instream water management structures adversely affect fish migration within the Flood Management System.

4. Systemwide Planning Area Map 4

5. Conservation Strategy Planning Area Map 5

6. Fish Migration Improvement Opportunities (FMIO) Objectives Provide planning information at the reconnaissance (context), project-identification (selection), and project- implementation (design) levels Integrate fish migration as an ecosystem enhancement component in flood planning efforts Support three CVFPP planning efforts: CS, RFMP, BWFS by providing best available technical information to improve informed decision-making. 6

7. FMIO Products Fish Migration Improvement Opportunities - Comprehensive report (~90 pages) - Provides key info: - species presence, fish biology and behavior, mechanism of structure impact on migration, FMI solutions and benefits - Identifies opportunities in the Upper Sacramento, Feather River, and Lower Sacramento - Prioritizes based on anticipated fishery benefit 7

8. FMIO Products (cont) FMIO Snapshot - Short technical memo of tables and maps - Identifies structures, priority, SPFC linkage, migration problem statement, additional needs/status update GIS dataset - Structure points with associated tabular data - Polygons of potential stranding areas in SPFC flood bypasses 8

9. Structures State Plan of Flood Control (SPFC) State and federal flood control works of the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River watersheds as identified in Section 9110 (f) of the California Water Code (CWC). Non-SPFC Structures not part of the SPFC. Non-SPFC structures may have a flood control component and be used in conjunction with the SPFC to provide flood management. 9

10. Information Collection Objective: Identify structures and impact mechanism on migration Literature Review Reports, biological opinions, internal memos, journal articles, flood documents, bulletins, etc. CalFish Passage Assessment Database (PAD) Some information was available from this database for most of identified structures. Direct Communication  People who are familiar with sites and issues (e.g. gauge calibrators who visit some structures frequently during flood events).  CDFW personnel who conducted fish rescues  All state and federal agencies with Northern Regional Offices  UC Davis researchers  Multiple DWR divisions including DWR Sutter Maintenance Yard staff Site Visits  Collected primary data and took photos  Visited when migratory impacts were believed to occur (e.g., low flows, flood flows) 10

11. FMIO Prioritization Method Objective : Assist planners in prioritizing FMI opportunities within each waterway First Screening: Fishery Impact/Benefit (Priority) Score and rank by: (1)frequency structure acts as a barrier; (2)intensity of obstruction based on location in the waterway, species diversity/presence; (3)upstream habitat the structure limits access to Second Screening: SPFC linkage (Priority and Feasibility of Flood Project Integration) SPFC structures are expected to be the most feasible to improve as part of flood projects. Some non-SPFC structures in new flood project footprints could also qualify. 11

12. Ex) Tisdale Weir Sacramento River Tisdale Bypass Apron Stilling Basin to top of weir 11’ Sutter County Boat Ramp Tisdale Weir 12

13. What’s Notable? Help formulate multi-benefit projects for the CVFPP - Documented reconnaissance work on existing migration conditions More than 30 fish migration improvement opportunities - Some (e.g. Fremont Weir, Weir No 2) are already planned. 13

14. Next Steps Draft FMIO Snapshot Report is available now. Draft FMIO Comprehensive Report will be circulated for comments in Spring of 2014. - Public draft will be released with Conservation Strategy (June 2014). Interactive map with associated data tables will be published on FPIP website after Public Draft released. 14