Integrated Modeling Support for a Sustainable Integrated Modeling Community for the Delta. 2018 – present (TBC 2019)

Collaborating Organizations

Tetratech, Cramer Fish Sciences, Pax Environmental Inc., Hydrofocus Inc., University of California, Davis (UCD), University of California, Merced (UCM).

Funding Organization:

Delta Stewardship Council

Project Description

Models are essential representations of the real world and where there are large associated costs or hinderances in execution to answer scenario specific questions, models are a good alternative to aid in providing answers through predictions and simulations. Modeling in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) is at its current state composed of many entities and individuals employing and developing various models to better understand the Delta as an ecosystem. The scattered nature of these efforts is partly a result of the Delta being a large and diverse ecosystem, but other barriers include difficulties in inter-disciplinary collaboration and limited interaction between scientists, modelers and policy/decision makers. The currently scattered state of models and modeling efforts limit the usefulness for aiding management and restoration decision making in the Delta that need to be based on many ecosystem factors (e.g. hydrology, sustainability, economics, water quality, climate factors and climate change, soil health, biodiversity).

To support current efforts for modeling integration in the Delta set out by the Delta Stewardship Council, this Integrated Modeling Support team will work with guidance from the Integrated Modeling Steering Committee to develop pathways for future modeling integration by providing information on models actively used in the Delta, current and past model integration efforts and identifying key management issues. This information will serve as a stepping stone for building a sustainably integrated modeling community that will include scientist, modelers and decision/policy makers.