CALFED Bay-Delta Program heading

Science Program Overview

Organization of Science Program
Across the CALFED Bay Delta Program

As the actions of the CALFED Record of Decision (ROD) are being implemented, the Authority and other CALFED agencies are striving to incorporate stakeholder participation and science-based adaptive management. The goal is to ensure that the best possible scientific information guides decision-making within every aspect of the program, while results of CALFED activities are closely evaluated. Providing science relevant to decision making requires two things: building a conduit between experts and managers so the most current knowledge relevant to a problem can be directly communicated, and providing an unbiased scientific review of information gathered to define and evaluate program activities.

Oversight of data collection and ecosystem monitoring, along with scientific review of assumptions underlying program strategies and the effects of program actions is essential. To cite the ROD, "The highest quality and credibility of science-based decision making will be assured by the integration in the Program of an independent board of scientific experts."

The California Bay Delta Authority’s Science Program will tackle the complex task of integrating the best available knowledge across CALFED by strategic involvement at three different scales. The Authority’s Science effort will:

  • At the CALFED-wide level--define and invest in critical unknowns at the system-wide scale, fill monitoring gaps (cost share), invest in analyses that integrate information across scales, support system-wide evaluations of CALFED performance, and clarify the state of knowledge related to cross-program goals and management decisions
  • At the regional level, where several individual CALFED programs interact, support integrated "signature" studies which address cross-program questions through active involvement in scientific quesitons and design, cost-sharing, and organizing collaborative groups to carry out the work
  • Provide advice and guidance to individual CALFED programs on specific science elements,  including monitoring and performance assessment, using expert panels, peer review, and defining critical unknowns