City of Sacramento
City Council - 2PM Report
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File ID: 2024-01977 2/11/2025 Consent Item 4.
Water Forum: Apply for the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project Fish Information Needs Grant
File ID: 2024-01977
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager, or the City Manager’s designee to: 1) designate the Executive Director of the Water Forum as the City’s representative to execute the grant agreement and all other documents associated with the grant compliance; 2) apply for grant funding from the Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation for the Central Valley Project (CVP) Fish Information Needs Grant and, if awarded; 3) execute all agreements and documents of compliance and meet the established deadlines related to the grant on behalf of the City; 4) create a new project CV Fish Info Needs Grant (G14250300); and 5) establish revenue and expenditures budgets for the CV Fish Info Needs Grant Project (G14250300, fund 7105) for an amount not-to-exceed $627,836, or the amount awarded.
Contact: Ashlee Casey, Interim Executive Director, (916) 808-1998, [email protected]; Erica Bishop, Program Manager, (916) 808-1997, [email protected]; Emily Lee, Administrative Analyst, (916) 808-1993, [email protected]; Water Forum; Penny Buchman, Supervising Financial Analyst, (916) 808-1481, [email protected], Department of Utilities Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: Water Forum is seeking approval to apply for Reclamation’s Central Valley Project Fish Information Needs Grant for an amount up to $627,836 as authorized pursuant to the Federal Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) of 1992.
Since 2008, the Water Forum has partnered with Federal and State agencies to implement vitally important salmonid habitat improvements and related fisheries science and special studies in the Lower American River (LAR). The habitat and river science work serves Water Forum’s coequal objective to “Preserve and protect the fishery, wildlife, aesthetic and recreational resources of the Lower American River”. These studies also support the potential funding agency’s (Reclamation) goals as directed by CVPIA Section 3406(b)(1), 3406(b)(15), 3406(g), and 3407(e) as described
File ID: 2024-01977 2/11/2025 Consent Item 4.
below:
Relevant purposes of the CVPIA include:
· To protect, restore, and enhance fish, wildlife, and associated habitats in the Central Valley and Trinity River basins of California;
· To address impacts of the CVP on fish, wildlife and associated habitats; · To improve the operational flexibility of the CVP;
· To achieve a reasonable balance among competing demands for use of CVP water, including the requirements of fish and wildlife, agricultural, municipal and industrial, and power contractors.
The Grant solicitation supports entities, like the Water Forum, that have existing habitat and science programs, to assist Federal partners in reducing key uncertainties in the decision support models (DSMs) utilized by Reclamation in improving long-term operation of the CVP by collecting priority information in directed studies for various imperiled species, including Chinook Salmon, Steelhead trout, Green and White sturgeon, and Delta smelt. Vital information needed for better understanding of the needs of these species is described in Reclamation’s Near-Term Restoration Strategy.
Reducing key uncertainties will improve the performance of each DSM and strengthen the predictive capabilities for developing fish restoration strategies in the Central Valley.
The CVPIA, Title 34 of Public Law 102-575, authorizes the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service) to take actions aimed at increasing anadromous fish production in the Central Valley of California. In response, Reclamation and the Service adopted a Structured Decision Making (SDM) process as a collaborative approach with agencies (State, Federal, and Local) and stakeholders (non-government organizations, Federal and State Water Contractors, etc.). Reclamation and the Service (the Program) established the Science Integration Team (SIT) to use the SDM process as a science-based framework to identify restoration strategies for increasing production of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), O. mykiss, and Green and White sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris and Acipenser transmontanus, respectively). The SIT is a self-selected technical group of agency staff and stakeholders that follow the SDM collaborative and transparent process. The SIT uses the Structured Decision-Making process to identify, compile, and provide access to relevant data; develop decision support models; and provide input to \ develop priorities for fishery restoration actions and information needs.
California Central Valley Oncorhynchus mykiss are distributed throughout most Central Valley watersheds, but the anadromous form often appears to be in low abundance. This species exhibits extraordinary diversity of life histories that is presumed to confer population resilience in the face of a variable environment. In contrast to other Pacific salmonids, O. mykiss are facultatively anadromous and iteroparous. Therefore, they may spawn over several years, with individual spawners originating from river or ocean habitats. This diversity complicates attempts to quantitatively monitor populations
File ID: 2024-01977 2/11/2025 Consent Item 4.
to inform management. Although several studies have documented response of salmonids to American River restoration actions, several key unknown population and behavioral metrics hinder SIT DSM Monitoring efforts and species management.
This study is designed to address O. mykiss information needs outlined in the 2024 CVPIA Central Valley Project Fish Information Needs Notice of Funding Opportunity (R24AS00329), including:
· Juvenile O. mykiss survival, age and growth in tributaries, mainstem, and the Delta, with comparison of survival in tributaries with different environmental conditions. (Information Needs E and F).
· Empirical estimates of O. mykiss spawning population size (proportion of resident and anadromous fish) and juvenile out-migration abundance, with measures of uncertainty and methodology efficiency (Information Need G).
The geographic scope of the project is the American River anadromous reach, which extends from Nimbus Dam to the confluence with the Sacramento River. The goal of the study is to leverage collaborations with CDFW, recreational anglers, and other project partners to apply successful monitoring frameworks recently developed by Cramer Fish Sciences for the Stanislaus River to inform O. mykiss population management. Specific tasks to be performed as part of this project include:
· Task 1: Estimate the in-river O. mykiss spawning population size in the lower American River using genetic relationships between parents and offspring to inform a close-kin mark-recapture model. Note that a working CKMR model exists for O. mykiss due to ongoing Stanislaus River project that can be leveraged for the American River, reducing the modeling costs substantially.
· Task 2: Age and Growth Study: Estimate key population demographics by combining field surveys and scales with genetic data collected in tasks 1 and 3 including. o Population age structure
o Annual growth rates by age, sex, and life history (resident or migratory) o Age and size at maturity by sex and life history
o Proportion of migratory spawners
o Age and size at juvenile outmigration
· Task 3: Monitoring Juvenile Outmigration Rate, Timing, and Survival: Quantify the probability of juveniles initiating migration, and survival of migrants through the American River to San Francisco Bay by implementing an acoustic tagging study. Link initiation of juvenile outmigration with environmental and biological characteristics including, o Growth history
o Parentage (resident or migratory)
o Flow and temperature at the time of migration
File ID: 2024-01977 2/11/2025 Consent Item 4.
If awarded, project activities would take place from January 2026 - December 2028.
Policy Considerations: Council Resolution 2024-0193 requires City Council approval to apply for operating grants of more than $250,000.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The activity to apply for grant funds and execute all agreements and documents of compliance related to the grant is not a project pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines 15378(b)(4). The activity is the creation of a government funding mechanisms which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment and is not subject to CEQA. CEQA Guidelines 15060©(3).
Sustainability: Data collection and analysis in support of the native fishery for the benefit of the lower American River ecosystem is a fundamental element of the Water Forum Agreement and a central component of the Water Forum’s Habitat Management Element, which is supported by the City’s General Plan Goals, specifically Natural and Open Space Protection (E.R. 2.1).
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: Since 2008, Water Forum has partnered with Federal and State agencies to implement vitally important salmonid habitat improvements and related fisheries science and special studies in the Lower American River (LAR). The proposed study would support Water Forum’s coequal objective to “Preserve and protect the fishery, wildlife, aesthetic and recreational resources of the Lower American River”. Additionally, the results of this study would have broad utility across multiple agencies, projects, and management and regulatory efforts ongoing and planned in the Central Valley, with which Water Forum coordinates and supports to meet shared goals.
Financial Considerations: If awarded, the Water Forum could receive up to $627,836 from the Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation with no City matching funds required. However, the Water Forum will provide an in-lieu staff time match of $32,000 for project management. Staff recommends, if awarded, opening a new project CV Fish Information Needs Grant (G14240300) and establish revenue and expenditure budgets in the City-County Office of Metropolitan Water Planning (CCOMWP) Reimbursable Fund (fund 7105) for an amount up to $627,836, or the grant award.
There are no general fund obligations for this project.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
January 2, 2025
Authority to Apply for the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation Central Valley Project Fish Information Needs Grant, Accept and Manage the Grant, Open the Project, and Establish Revenue and Expenditure Budgets
BACKGROUND
A. The Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation has announced the Central Valley Project (CVP) Fish Information Needs Grant for $627,836.
B. The Water Forum seeks approval to apply for the CVP Fish Information Needs Grant and work with the granting agency or its designee to meet established deadlines for entering into a grant or cooperative agreement.
C. If awarded, staff recommend opening the CVP Fish Information Needs Grant (G14240300) and adjusting revenue and expense budget in the project for a not- to-exceed amount of $627,836, or the grant award. There are no City matching funds required. However, the Water Forum will provide an in-lieu staff time match of $32,000 for project management.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Manager or the City Manager’s designee is authorized to:
A. Apply for grant funding through the Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation for the Central Valley Project Fish Information Needs Grant.
B. If awarded, work with the granting agency or their designee to establish deadlines for entering into a grant or cooperative agreement, sign the funding agreement, prepare the necessary data, and execute all reporting, payment requests, and
documentation of compliance applicable to the grant and completion of the project.
C. If awarded, create the CVP Fish Information Needs Grant (G14240300), establish revenue and expenditure budgets for the grant award in the City-County Office of Metropolitan Water Planning (CCOMWP) Reimbursable Fund (Fund 7105), for a not-to- exceed amount of $627,836 or the awarded amount, and
transferring the in-lieu staff time match from the HME Fund (Fund 7104) in the amount of $32,000.