Riparian Habitat and Floodplains Conference

Riparian Habitat
and Floodplains Conference

March 12 - 14, 2001
Radisson Hotel
Sacramento, California

Integrating California riparian and floodplain restoration, research, conservation, partnerships, education, policy, and biota, bringing together a wide variety of experts and interests.

Plenary sessions, concurrent technical sessions, panel discussions, and workshops will take place March 12-14. Half-day and full-day field trips will be offered March 14-15. A peer-reviewed conference "Proceedings" will be published.

Major Conference Themes:

Practice of Conservation and Restoration
Research and Technology in Riparian and Floodplain Restoration
Legislative Policy and Programs

Update on proceedings for the Riparian Habitat and Floodplain Conference held March 12-15, 2001.

Earle Cummings (DWR) and Ann Chrisney (RHJV) are working with Phyllis Faber of UC Berkeley Press to publish the proceedings of the Conference held last March. There are approximately 80 manuscripts in various stages of peer review or revision. Based on the current schedule the team is striving for a Fall/Winter 2002 publication date.

Contacts:

Earle Cummings: 916/574-1244, earlec@water.ca.gov
Ann Chrisney: 916/329-7458, achrisney@prbo.org)

Sponsored by:

Ducks Unlimited

National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation

National Audubon
Society California

Point Reyes Bird Observatory

National Park Service

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Jones & Stokes Associates

MBK Engineers

ECORP Consulting, Inc.

California Department
of Water Resources

Philip M. Jelley, Esq., The L.J. and
Mary C. Skaggs Foundation

Santa Clara Valley
Water District

Conference Highlights
Program at a Glance
Tentative Program

Conference Highlights

Plenary

The Plenary Session will set the stage for scientists, policy-makers, and the public to come together to address the fundamental challenges facing California's vanishing riparian forests. The session will include talks by Dr. Williams Preston of California Polytechnic State University, Charles Baxter with the Lower Mississippi River Valley Joint Venture, and Edwin P. (Phil) Pister, Executive Secretary, Desert Fishes Council.

Concurrent Technical Sessions

We have over 38 sessions addressing Riparian Habitat and Floodplains with over 140 presentations. Please see the Program at a Glance and Tentative Program to preview the topics which will be addressed.

Workshops and Panel Discussions

Panel Discussion: "Regulatory Compliance Challenges for River and Floodplain Restoration"
Moderator: Curtis Alling, EDAW, Inc., 2022 J Street, Sacramento CA 95814
Panel Discription: Projects to restore riparian woodland, shaded riverine aquatic habitat, anadromous fish spawning areas, levee setback areas, and other sensitive river habitats have received substantial funding by California and the Federal government. The beneficial objectives of river restoration projects have enjoyed considerable support from the environmental community, resource agencies, and sponsoring water districts or flood control agencies. Nonetheless, despite this infusion of public funding and extensive constituent support, river restoration projects face challenging regulatory compliance hurdles in the CEQA, NEPA, and permitting arenas. It is very important to understand, anticipate, and quickly resolve regulatory requirements when planning a successful river restoration program.

     This panel discussion describes real-world lessons about the regulatory challenges of river restoration projects in the State and Federal environmental review process, based on direct experience with major projects, such as the Tuolumne River Restoration Project in Stanislaus County, and other programs supported by AFRP, CalFed, State Conservancies, and similar public funding sources. Successful approaches will be discussed for common challenges, such as landowner disruption of the CEQA process, Reclamation Board concerns about revegetation in and around floodways, integration of NEPA and CEQA for restoration project review, and State Lands Commission requirements for areas of State fee title and public trust easements. Compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act and California Endangered Species Act must often be addressed for potential take of one species to achieve benefits for another threatened or endangered species. Sharing practical regulatory pointers can help expedite future restoration projects.

Panel Discussion: "Cooperative Planning and Partnership Efforts In Riparian and Floodplains Management"
Panel Moderator: Diana Jacobs, Science Advisor, California Department of Game, Sacramento
Panelists:
     Geoff Geupel, The Riparian Habitat Joint Venture
     Tim Ramirez, The CalFed Bay-Delta Project
     Burt Bundy, Sacramento River Conservation Area
     Dorthy Green, Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council
     Mark Wheetley for recommendation on coastal program
     Diane Gaumer, Deer Creek Conservancy
Panel Description: Compare coop and partnerships operating a different geographic scales and locations in California

Workshop Title: Biotechnical Streambank Stabilization and Erosion Control
Workshop Date: Wednesday March 14, 2001
Workshop Description: Practitioners in the fields of ecological restoration and erosion control will give presentations on a wide variety of biotechnical measures for streambank stabilization and erosion control. Presenters will show examples of both high-tech and low-tech bank stabilization projects ranging from measures for incorporating vegetation into engineered structures to quasi-vegetative (mixed-construction) slope protection techniques to solely vegetative solutions. This workshop will attempt to portray biotechnical streambank stabilization in the larger context of fluvial geomorphic and ecological processes.

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