Our second small grants solicitation closed on 3/1/04 and resulted in 12 proposals of which four have been awarded funds.

News and Current Events

PSP Synopsis

Through the California Bay-Delta Authority, the CALFED Science Program is seeking to invest grant funding in projects that will fundamentally advance the understanding of the complex environments/systems within the CALFED jurisdiction to aid policy-makers and resource managers. The geographic area of interest is the CALFED Bay-Delta System which includes California's Sacramento and San Joaquin River watersheds and the San Francisco Estuary with a focus on the Delta .

Specifically, the Science Program is soliciting research proposals focused on the following four topics:

1. Environmental Water
2. Aquatic Invasive (Exotic) Species
3. Trends and Patterns of Populations and System Response to a Changing Environment
4. Habitat Availability and Response to Change

Award Information

• Anticipated Type of Award: Grant
• Estimated Number of Awards: 5 - 10
• Anticipated Total Funding: Approximately $6 million
• Potential Funding per Grant: Less than $6 million
• Length of Funding: Up to 3 years

Eligibility Information
Any public agency or nonprofit organization capable of entering into a grant agreement with the State or Federal government may apply. This includes, but is not limited to: (1) local agencies; (2) private nonprofit organizations (3) tribes; (4) universities; (5) State agencies; and (6) Federal agencies.

Deadline
Proposals will be accepted until 5 pm, Pacific Daylight Time, August 31, 2006.

Contacts Proposal Submittal Process Helpline: (877) 408-9310 or via email: help@solicitation.calwater.ca.gov

The third Consoritum Newsletter is now available.

The National Center for Coastal Ocean Science have developed a guidance manual for coastal monitoring plans. Read more about this effort and link to the first volume of the manual at http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/ecosystems/estuaries/restoration_monitoring.html#manual

A new paper is out that describes recent observations and historical occurrences of occasional springs that arrive abruptly in the Sierra Nevada. These early springs can result in the simultaneous melting of snowpacks at essentially all elevations causing dramatic streamflow changes.

Lundquist, J.D., Cayan, D.R., and Dettinger, M.D., 2004, Spring onset in the Sierra Nevada: When is snowmelt independent of elevation?: Journal of Hydrometeorology, 5, 325-340.

Our current spotlight feature is the new book "San Francisco Bay: Portrait of an Estuary" with text by John Hart and photos by David Sanger.