Planning

The North Coast Resource Partnership (NCRP) engages in multi-objective integrated planning to achieve its regional goals and to guide local project implementation. These regional plans incorporate the best available science and data related to watershed and community health, and include strategies informed by local expertise, knowledge and priorities. Additionally, NCRP planning documents include the relevant priorities and goals of key partner agencies, such as the California Department of Conservation, California Resources Agency, California Department of Water Resources, Strategic Growth Council, State Coastal Conservancy, State Water Resources Control Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the USDA and its agencies.

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The NCRP planning and project implementation framework is focused on a set of integrated, multi-benefit objectives that protect and enhance watersheds, develop and maintain built infrastructure (water, wastewater, energy, communications and transportation), and sustain human communities through the lens of public health, economic development, jobs and local revenue.

The NCRP regularly develops plans that reflect the shared goals, objectives, strategies and priorities for the North Coast Region. The North Coast Integrated Regional Planning – Healthy Communities, Functional Watersheds and Viable Economies webpage includes the NCRP Integrated Regional Water Management Plan and other strategic planning documents and science-based assessments.

A VISION FOR NORTH COAST RESILIENCE

A VISION FOR NORTH COAST RESILIENCE

Priorities For Enhancing Watershed, Fireshed, Forest, and Community Resilience in the North Coast Region

This Plan represents a shared vision for watershed, fireshed, forest, and community resilience in the North Coast region of California. Resilience includes the capacity of communities and ecosystems to recover from and adapt to extreme events such as wildfire, flooding, and drought, as well as impacts from climate change, economic, and health disruptions.

NORTH COAST RESILIENCE PLAN

 

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North Coast Resilience Plan

The Plan is guided by and aligned with the goals and objectives of Tribal, federal, state, regional, and local plans. It was created with input and guidance from hundreds of experts, partners, and community members, using the best available data and information, including Indigenous science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge, regional remote sensing, and local knowledge. The Plan includes a comprehensive list of Strategies that articulate a shared regional vision, and Solutions and Projects to implement this vision. Guided by Indigenous knowledge, Good Fire is a critical tool for revitalizing and enhancing the resilience of forests, watersheds, and communities.

 

 

Forest Biomass Strategy

The North Coast Resource Partnership (NCRP) and the Watershed Research and Training Center (WRTC) are partnering on a multifaceted initiative to collect, aggregate, and process woody biomass produced from projects that reduce hazardous fuels in the region’s forests and landscapes.

North Coast Forest Biomass Strategy

Initiative Overview

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North Coast Forest Biomass Strategy

The North Coast Feedstock Aggregation Pilot Project will help drive community and landscape-scale fire hazard reduction, watershed health, and economic resilience. Providing community-led solutions through direct funding, local coordination, and resource sharing should enable more treatments to restore fire resilient forests and lead to lower wildfire risk around our communities. See the North Coast Forest Biomass Strategy webpage for more information.

Project Planning Tools

The NCRP has developed model planning and policy tools that are compatible with the region’s unique rural natural resource economy, promoting approaches that will help to reinforce and build the value of the natural infrastructure, while promoting functional built infrastructure, community health and economic vitality. Tools include the Small Community Toolbox, which helps water service providers make decisions about maintenance and upgrades and model planning and policy tools with context sensitive strategies that reflect local priorities, constraints and support for the specific needs in the North Coast.

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NCRP Small Community Toolbox

The Small Community Toolbox is intended to help small utilities develop a “first order” understanding of what their options are, how they should begin to budget, where to find funding opportunities, and how to get help. This resource is organized around the steps associated with the “Utility Management Cycle”. Tools contained in the Small Community Toolbox webpage may be provided as documents, maps, charts, or links to web resources.

PDF Resources

North Coast Plans, Policies and Reports

November 2023
The comprehensive list of plans and guidance documents includes municipal plans, climate planning, natural resources and watershed plans and assessment, state agency plans and documents, and relevant federal planning documents, including species recovery plans and salmonid recovery planning. The list is provided as an excel spreadsheet with links to: the document website, brief summary, agency, and key word associations and is organized by Watershed Management Area of the North Coast region.
View PDF

Guide for Tribal Renewable Energy Sovereignty Master Planning

December 2016
Guide for Tribal Renewable Energy Sovereignty Master Planning. The Bear River Tribe developed the guide to other sovereign nations and municipalities as a template for developing on-site renewable energy to supply a year-round energy surplus for all energy needs, with particular applicability to other North Coast sovereign nations and Humboldt County.
View PDF

Planning Guide for Development of Tribal Environmental Protection Ordinances

October 2016
The Yurok Tribe developed a Planning Guide and a Model Tribal Environmental Protection Ordinance intended to assist other Tribes to improve their environmental protection programs. The Planning Guide describes the steps and options necessary to develop a Tribal Environmental Protection Ordinance.
View PDF

Model Tribal Environmental Enforcement Response Plan

August 2016
The Yurok Tribe developed a Model Tribal Environmental Enforcement Response Plan is intended to assist other Tribes to improve their environmental programs and focuses on enforcement elements. The Model Tribal Enforcement Response Plan is offered to other tribal nations as a template for their efforts, with particular applicability to other North Coast Tribal nations.
View PDF

Decentralized Wastewater Treatment System Planning Model

October 2016
The Hoopa Valley Tribe developed a guidance document about current technologies available to treat and manage wastewater on Tribal lands. The guide includes: Options Evaluation Methodology; Disposal Solutions Scenarios; and Management Model Guidelines
View PDF

Site Resilience and Energy Assessment Process for Key Assets Guide

December 2016
The Redwood Coast Energy Authority outlined a process to identify, evaluate, and prioritize critical facilities that are a good fit for on-site generation, energy-storage, and load-management systems to support continuity of operations when the grid is down, as well as reap the environmental and cost-savings benefits of those systems during regular operation. Site Resilience and Critical Essential Services Model Toolkit accompanies the Site Resilience and Energy Assessment Process for Key Assets Guide.
View PDF

Site Resilience and Critical Essential Services Model Toolkit

December 2016
This toolkit is designed to help with Energy Assurance Planning (EAP) for a region of interest.  Each sheet contains information and instructions for filling out the tables. More details on the general EAP process can be found in the companion document Site Resilience and Energy Assessment Process for Key Assets.
View PDF

North Coast Irrigation Water and Fertigation Management Tool

August 2017
The NCIWFMP uses Excel workbooks as an input framework for agricultural producer inputs and is based on calculating a water and nutrient balance for a variety of crop types for enhanced management of farm resources and to maximize crop production.
View PDF

Project Funding

Since 2005, the NCRP planning process and project implementation has been financed from a variety of sources, including via IRWM grant funding; California Energy Commission, Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Program; Strategic Growth Council Sustainable Communities Grant funding; Department of Conservation, Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program; and local cost-share agreements with the Sonoma County Water Agency. NCRP funding awards from 2005-2023 total over $127 million and leverage over $160 million in funding match. With its commitment to achieving multiple objectives through local action, the NCRP is well poised to attract and utilize new federal, state, local, and private funding sources as they become available.

Learn more

Learn more about the NCRP Funding Solicitations

NCRP Proposition 1 IRWM Round 2 Solicitation

The NCRP anticipates allocating $8,480,000 in funding for the implementation of priority projects.  Proposition 1 IRWM Round 2 grant proposals were submitted Februrary 1, 2023.

NCRP Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Grant Program

In 2021, The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) provided grant funding through the Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Grant Program.  The drought relief goal was to address immediate impacts on human health and safety and on fish and wildlife resources, and to provide water to persons or communities that lost or were threatened with the loss or contamination of water supplies. The NCRP received 25 project proposals to be considered for inclusion into the NCRP Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Grant Proposal for submittal to DWR on January 14, 2022. Funding Awards to NCRP were made to 17 Priority Projects for a total of $8,592,756.

NCRP Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Planning

NCRP was awarded $4.25 million in funding from the California Natural Resources Agency and Department of Conservation for planning and the identification and implementation of local and regional projects to improve forest health and increase fire resiliency. The goal of the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity (RFFC) block grant is to develop a North Coast Regional Priority Plan (RPP) and to prioritize, develop, and implement projects that improve forest health and fire resilience, facilitate greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and increase carbon sequestration.

NCRP 2019 Proposition 1 Round 1 IRWM Implementation Project Solicitation

The Proposition 1 Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Grant Program provides funding for projects that help meet the long term water needs of the state, including:

  • Assisting water infrastructure systems adapt to climate change;
  • Providing incentives throughout each watershed to collaborate in managing the region’s water resources and setting regional priorities for water infrastructure; and
  • Improving regional water self-reliance

The North Coast funding area Proposition 1 IRWM allocation was $26.5 M and had approximately $22 M available for implementation projects over two rounds of funding.

On March 15, 2019, the NCRP received 36 project proposals in response to the NCRP 2019 Proposition 1 IRWM Project Solicitation for a total request of approximately $35.5 million. The Technical Peer Review Committee (TPRC) conducted their technical review and met to discuss the project proposals and select draft Priority Projects. The Policy Review Panel unanimously approved the suite of Priority Projects on April 26, 2019. The regional proposal was submitted to DWR in September 2019. On April 23, 2020, DWR announced the Final Award.

On-going Implementation Project Application Form

Increasingly, funding opportunities for project implementation require or give preference to projects that are included in an Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Plan. The Preliminary Implementation Project Application will provide a mechanism for including projects on an on-going basis into the NCRP IRWM Plan.

Other Funding Opportunities

SEARCHABLE & BROWSABLE WEB PAGES: GRANTS & OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Updated October 2023


Funding Navigation for California Communities
.

Funding Navigation for California Communities offers the most prominent funding opportunities for local governments and communities. These resources are available to communities across California and are categorized into eight “Project Types.”
https://www.fundingresource.org/

California Grants Portal.
This site is managed and hosted by the CA State Library to provide a centralized location to find state grant opportunities. https://www.grants.ca.gov/

California Financing Coordinating Committee.
The California Financing Coordinating Committee (CFCC) combines the resources of four State and two Federal funding agencies to provide a one-stop shop for available grants, loans and bond financing for infrastructure projects.  Since 1998, the CFCC has conducted free funding fairs statewide each year to educate the public and offer potential customers the opportunity to meet with financial representatives from each agency and learn more about their currently available funding programs.

Cal OES Grant Search Web Page.
This web page provides information regarding FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs and has other grant-related information available. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/grants-management

CAL FIRE Grant Program.
CAL FIRE offers several grant opportunities each with its own scope and funding priorities. https://www.fire.ca.gov/grants/

CDFW Grant Opportunities.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife grant programs fund projects that sustain, restore and enhance California’s fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats. https://wildlife.ca.gov/Grants

Air Resources Board Funding Wizard.
The Funding Wizard is a searchable database of grants, rebates and incentives available in California — gathered all in one place —to help you pay for sustainable projects. The Funding Wizard team combs the internet for funding opportunities in categories such as energy, air quality, climate change, transportation, urban development, waste management, and water. https://fundingwizard.arb.ca.gov/web/node/2814

Grants.Gov.
This is a searchable database containing federal funding opportunities. https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html

US EDA.
Opportunities available through the US Economic Development Administration. https://eda.gov/funding-opportunities/

Interagency Working Group on Coal & Power Plant Communities & Economic Revitalization.
The Interagency Working Group created this centralized clearinghouse that features billions of dollars in existing federal funding sources. This government-wide list offers easy access to Energy Communities applying to fund infrastructure, environmental remediation, job creation, and community revitalization efforts. https://energycommunities.gov/funding-opportunities/

US EPA Specific EPA Grant Program.
Provides information about opportunities available through US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/grants/specific-epa-grant-programs

USDA Rural Development.
This page lists current and past Notices of Solicitation of Applications and Notices of Funding Availability. https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
This searchable website allows the user to filter by program, eligibility, and topic. https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities

US Army Corps of Engineers’ Continuing Authorities Program.
A group of nine water resource related authorities contained in several different laws. The purpose of the CAP is to plan, design, and construct water resources projects of limited scope and complexity. Unlike General Investigation (GI) studies, CAP projects do not require project-specific authorization from Congress.  The nine CAP authorities are listed in the table below.

All projects in this program include a feasibility phase and an implementation phase. Planning activities, such as development of alternative plans to achieve the project goals, initial design and cost estimating, environmental analyses and real estate evaluations are performed during the feasibility phase to develop enough information to decide whether to implement the project. The feasibility phase is initially federally funded up to $100,000.

AUTHORITY PROJECT PURPOSE MORE INFORMATION
Section 14, Flood Control Act of 1946, as amended Streambank and shoreline erosion protection of public works and non-profit public services Fact Sheet and Template Letter of Request
Section 103, River and Harbor Act of 1962, as amended (amends Public Law 79-727) Beach erosion and hurricane and storm damage reduction Fact Sheet and Template Letter of Request
Section 107, River and Harbor Act of 1960, as amended Navigation improvements
Section 111, River and Harbor Act of 1968, as amended Shore damage prevention or mitigation caused by Federal navigation projects Fact Sheet and Template Letter of Request
Section 204, Water Resources Development Act of 1992, as amended Beneficial uses of dredged material Fact Sheet and Template Letter of Request
Section 205, Flood Control Act of 1948, as amended Flood damage reduction Fact Sheet and Template Letter of Request
Section 206, Water Resources Development Act of 1996, as amended Aquatic ecosystem restoration Fact Sheet and Template Letter of Request
Section 208, Flood Control Act of 1954, as amended (amends Section 2, Flood Control Act of August 28, 1937) Removal of obstructions, clearing channels for flood control
Section 1135, Water Resources Development Act of 1986, as amended Project modifications for improvement of the environment Fact Sheet and Template Letter of Request

 

San Francisco Bay Joint Venture.
Funding Opportunities may be sorted by Title, Agency, Deadline or Category. Opportunities relevant to SF Bay Area and throughout California. https://sfbayjv.org/funding/

Sierra Nevada Conservancy Upcoming Grants web page.
Opportunities relevant to the Sierra Nevada region and throughout California. https://sierranevada.ca.gov/funding/funding-opportunities-newsletter/

Get Ed Funding.
GetEdFunding provides an easy-to-use, relevant, and reliable database, as well as resources for new and seasoned grant seekers. PreK–12 and higher education educators and experienced educational publishing writers/editors research and write entries based on thorough fact checking, alignment with curriculum, copyediting, and clarity. As the sponsor of the GetEdFunding website, CDW-G’s mission is to help educators and institutions to uncover the funds they need to supplement shoestring budgets, expand innovative programs, prepare students for the increasingly complex skills they’ll need to participate in tomorrow’s workforce, and help close the equity gap in educating students from all backgrounds and circumstances. www.getedfunding.com/

Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.
Western SARE provides grants in several categories. Each of these grants is available at specific times of the year. Applying online for a grant is a simple step-by-step process. Please read each grant’s specific Calls for Proposals.

 

State Resilience Funding and Financing Program Timelines

ICARP Staff developed Gantt chart graphics in response to a request from the ICARP Technical Advisory Council for a resource that visualizes state funding program timelines. These graphics present information at the highest level of detail possible, but in some cases, especially for new or less-immediate programs, may be approximate.

Searchable categories include: Environment & Water, Disadvantaged Communities, Health & Human Services, Education, Housing Community & Economic Development, Parks & Recreation, Employment Labor & Training, and Agriculture.  Grants are also categorized by relevance for Non-Profit, Public Agency, and Tribal Government. For current information on state funding opportunities, please refer to the State Grants Portal.

 

SPECIAL NEEDS FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES – OPEN UNTIL FUNDING RUNS OUT

SWRCB – County-wide and Regional Funding Program.
The State Water Board has funding available from various sources within the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) Program to fund drinking water projects that address drought-related and contamination issues. Although we have several programs already in place, we have identified gaps for regional programs that address the needs of households served by state smalls and domestic wells throughout the State.

DFA does not award funding directly to households, and available DFA funding to address emergency needs of state smalls and domestic wells can’t be implemented on an immediate basis. One key goal of this program is to award funding to counties or their partners to enable them to setup programs proactively, based on anticipated needs, and therefore be ready to respond promptly when urgent needs arise. Open as of 10/26/23.

Eligible applicants: Nonprofit, Public Agency, Tribal Government

Clean Drinking Water Well Replacement Grant Program.
The Rural Community Assistance Corporation is offering funding to owners of households and small water systems (serving between 2 – 14 connections, not Public Water Systems) for well replacement. Income must be less than $51,026 on average; up to $45,000 is available for individual wells, and up to $100K for small water systems. Open as of 10/26/23.

Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience.
Small Community Funding is available to help small disadvantage communities (small DACs), providing drinking water service to less than 10,000 people or wastewater service to less than 20,000 people and having a median household income (MHI) of less than 80% the statewide MHI, with technical assistance needs, interim water supplies, and implement eligible drinking water or wastewater capital improvement projects.

The Small Community Funding Program continuously accepts applications starting with a simple pre-application. Website last updated 2/17/22. https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/sustainable_water_solutions/scfp.html

Opportunities for Tribal Governments through California Climate Investments.
Tribal governments can receive funds to reduce climate pollution through clean transportation, agricultural equipment, clean air initiatives, land conservation projects, etc. Several opportunities are available now. Funding opportunities as of 10/26/23. https://www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov/funding-for-tribal-governments

Wildlife Conservation Board – Grant Opportunities.
The WCB funds multiple project types including restoration, conservation, climate adaptation, public access, and monitoring. WCB uses a single continuous grant application process for all proposed projects. Applicants do not need to determine which WCB Grant Program or Funding Source to apply to; rather, WCB staff will determine that during application review. The review and selection of applications will depend on staffing capacity and the number of applications under consideration at any one time. Grant guidelines updated January 2023.

 


TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Statewide Energy Efficiency Best Practices Coordinator: Technical Assistance.
If you are a local government practitioner that could use help rounding up answers, resources, and examples to help you make progress on energy or climate issues within your community, please request technical assistance through this form. Opportunity current as of 10/26/23. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScuMMOYA_7_b5Lxz2qJWcOdMC6ktjTIUga6kEv9IJkNsNlXFg/viewform

On-Request Technical Assistance from DOE Office of Indian Energy.
The DOE Office of Indian Energy provides federally recognized Indian tribes, including Alaska Native villages, tribal energy resource development organizations, and other organized tribal groups and communities, with technical assistance to advance tribal energy projects at no cost. Technical experts from DOE and its national laboratories, along with other partnering organizations, provide support to assist Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages with energy planning, housing and building energy efficiency, project development, policy and regulation, resilience, and village power. Opportunity current as of 10/26/23. https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/technical-assistance

The EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water has developed a new online training system. The online training system is a self-paced training system that provides an overview of the NPDWRs and is available to anyone interested in learning about drinking water regulations. This training system in unique because the participant creates an account, selects a curriculum, and the training system tracks their progress. Once a curriculum is completed, the participant may print out a certificate of completion. The online training system can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/drinking-water-training#current. In addition to the regulatory training modules, the online training system now has a suite of training modules that focus on sustainability topics, including Capacity Development, Asset Management, Assessing Financial Capacity, Operator Certification, and Drinking Water Program Collaboration. Opportunity current as of 10/26/23.

DOE Clean Cities Coalition Network Technical Assistance.
Clean Cities connects transportation stakeholders with objective information and experts to assist with alternative fuels, fuel economy improvements, and emerging transportation technologies. Through these trusted, time-tested resources, Clean Cities has helped fleets and fuel providers deploy hundreds of thousands of alternative fuel vehicles and fueling stations that serve a growing market. Clean Cities continues to support the entry of new transportation technologies into the marketplace. Opportunity current as of 10/26/23. For more information, visit the technical assistance description.

NREL Decision Support for Tribes.
NREL’s State, Local, and Tribal program partners with Native American tribes and Alaska Native villages, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and other federal agencies, nonprofits, and intertribal organizations to provide resources and direct assistance that support energy technology delivery and connect motivated tribal governments with NREL’s world-class science and analytics. Energy Decision Support: To connect tribes with credible, timely, and actionable scientific information on which to base their energy decisions, NREL provides the following tailored programs:

  • Technology and market analytics
  • Direct technical assistance
  • Capacity building
  • Resilience assessment and planning

Opportunity current as of 10/26/23. For more information, visit the technical assistance description.

Training Resources and Videos for Grants.gov: Introduction to Grants.gov Video Series.
Whether you need a high-level introduction to the Grants.gov application process, or you are looking for a step-by-step explanation of a particular Applicant task, we encourage you to consult the resources on this page. Opportunity current as of 10/26/23. https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

 

Tribal Online Training Opportunities

The following self-paced, online courses are currently available through Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals:

  * Residential Building Science Review

  * Building Performance: Improving IAQ in Cold Climates

  *Quality Assurance Fundamentals / QAPP Series

  *Radon Fundamentals

  * Emissions Inventory Fundamentals / Advanced

  *Tribal Data Toolbox Version 3.1

  *Partnerships and Community Outreach

  *Tribal Strategic Planning: Ensuring Successful Development of Your ETEP

These online courses contain assignments, quizzes, videos, examples, downloadable spreadsheets, and other resources. While they are self-paced, each course provides the opportunity for individual interaction with subject matter experts. Weblink below current as of 10/26/23.

See http://www.nau.edu/itep/elearning for details or email professional@nau.edu with questions.

 

Project Monitoring

The NCRP focuses on planning and implementing high quality projects that result in positive outcomes for North Coast communities and landscapes. To this end, the NCRP requires assessments to document project priority and feasibility, as well as post-implementation monitoring to evaluate project completion, lessons learned and impact.

For project proponents, stakeholders and others who wish to access NCRP monitoring resources, tools, technical assistance and training, please visit the Learn More section.

NCRP Project Performance and Monitoring Plan Guidelines

Learn more

Resources for Project Monitoring

Monitoring and Assessment Protocols and Data Sources

Protocol Sources

Landscape Condition

CalFire Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) Development and Vegetation Trends methodology http://frap.fire.ca.gov/projects/development_vegetation/index

Biotic Condition

California Department of Fish and Game protocol: Aquatic Bioassessment Laboratory https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/OSPR/Science/Aquatic-Bioassessment-Lab

California Department of Fish and Game California Salmonid Stream Habitat Restoration Manual https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Grants/FRGP/Guidance

California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) method for riparian condition measures: Collins et al 2008 https://www.cramwetlands.org/documents/

California Watershed Assessment Manual II Chapter 4 (Shilling 2005a; periphyton) and 5 (Shilling 2005b; benthic macroinvertebrates) http://cwam.ucdavis.edu/Volume_2/TOC.htm

EPA rapid bioassessment protocol (Barbour et al. 1999) https://www3.epa.gov/region1/npdes/merrimackstation/pdfs/ar/AR-1164.pdf

Riparian Bird Conservation Plan (California Partners in Flight and Riparian Habitat Joint Venture) methods for monitoring riparian bird populations http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/riparian.html

SWAMP protocols (“Standard Operating Procedures”)  https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/bioassessment/sops.shtml

Selected reports under “Bioassessment” at http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/reports.shtml#bioassessment

USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/protocols/OFR02-150/index.html

Chemical & Physical Characteristics

California Watershed Assessment Manual II Chapter  2 (Washburn and Schilling 2005) http://cwam.ucdavis.edu/Volume_2/TOC.htm

Groundwater Ambient Monitoring Program information at http://ca.water.usgs.gov/gama/

SWAMP protocols (“Standard Operating Procedures”)  https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/bioassessment/sops.shtml

Hydrology and Geomorphology

California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) method for riparian condition measures: Collins et al 2008 http://www.cramwetlands.org/documents/

California Watershed Assessment Manual II Chapter 3 (Florsheim 2005) http://cwam.ucdavis.edu/Volume_2/TOC.htm

Florsheim 2005 and references therein provide methods for measuring discharge; measuring sediment transport; calculating effective discharge; assessing substrate and grain size distributions; and assessing morphology: http://cwam.ucdavis.edu/Volume_2/TOC.htm

SWAMP physical habitat procedures https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/bioassessment/docs/physical_habitat_index_technical_memo.pdf

USDA Forest Service: Cumulative watershed effects: Reid 1993  https://www.fs.usda.gov/psw/publications/documents/psw_gtr168/13reid.pdf

Data Sources

Landscape Condition

CalFire: Composite Dataset of California Landcover https://map.dfg.ca.gov/metadata/ds1327.html

CalFire: FRAP GIS Mapping and Data Analytics https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/fire-resource-assessment-program/gis-mapping-and-data-analytics

CalFire and USDA Forest Service: California Land Cover Mapping and Monitoring Program (LCMMP) http://frap.fire.ca.gov/data/frapgisdata-land_cover

Groundwater Ambient Monitoring Program https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/gama/

USDA: National Agriculture Inventory Program (NAIP) found at CalAtlas https://naip-usdaonline.hub.arcgis.com/

USEPA: ATtILA extension for GIS Landscape Analysis (land use quantification) https://www.epa.gov/eco-research/analytical-tools-interface-landscape-assessments-attila-landscape-metrics

USGS: National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) https://www.fws.gov/program/national-wetlands-inventory

USGS: National Hydrography Dataset http://nhd.usgs.gov/

USGS: National Land Cover Database https://www.usgs.gov/centers/eros/science/national-land-cover-database

Biotic Condition

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Biogeographic Information and Observation System (BIOS; https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/BIOS

California Native Diversity Database (CNDDB; https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CNDDB ),Coho stream habitat assessments, and other data sets; the CDFG Watershed Assessment Program does fisheries-based assessments of coastal streams https://wildlife.ca.gov/ (search for Coastal Watershed Planning and Assessment Program)

CalEpa and others: Environmental Protection Indicators for California (EPIC) project is responsible for developing and maintaining a set of “environmental indicators” for California. https://oehha.ca.gov/climate-change/background/environmental-protection-indicators-california-epic-products

CalFlora (for specific plant species) http://www.calflora.org/

California Native Plant Society (for specific plant species) http://www.cnps.org/

EPAs Western Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (WEMAP) https://archive.epa.gov/emap/archive-emap/web/html/

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service Central California Coast Coho Salmon Recovery Plan. http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected_species/salmon_steelhead/recovery_planning_and_implementation/north_central_california_coast/central_california_coast_coho_recovery_plan.html

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service Southern Oregon Northern California Coho Salmon Recovery Plan. http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected_species/salmon_steelhead/recovery_planning_and_implementation/southern_oregon_northern_california_coast/SONCC_recovery_plan.html

Riparian Habitat Joint Venture: data on riparian habitat restoration in California, especially for birds https://www.usbr.gov/lc/socal/basinstudies/OWOWReferences/RiparianHabitat.pdf

Riparian Bird Conservation Plan (California Partners in Flight and Riparian Habitat Joint Venture) monitoring data for some focal species http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/riparian.html

SWAMP BMI,  stream assessment, and other reports including Ode 2007, SWAMP 2005, and Ode and Rehn 2005 http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/

Chemical and Physical Characteristic (Water Quality)

EPA TMDL program http://www.epa.gov/tmdl

EPA WEMAP (Western Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program for physical habitat structure, sediment metabolism, sediment chemistry, water quality parameters, and riparian vegetation. https://archive.epa.gov/emap/archive-emap/web/html/

SWAMP   http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/

SWRCB North Coast Basin Plan https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/northcoast/water_issues/programs/basin_plan/

USGS groundwater quality data https://water.usgs.gov/ogw/data.html

Hydrology and Geomorphology

DWR Integrated Water Resources Information System (IWRIS) http://wdl.water.ca.gov/iwris/

USEPA Watershed Assessment of River Stability and Sediment Supply (WARSSS) https://wildlandhydrology.com/resources/docs/Assessment/Rosgen_2007_WARSSS.pdf

USGS National Hydrography Dataset http://nhd.usgs.gov/

USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt

Monitoring Protocols for Project Evaluation

Salmonid Habitat Improvement

SWAMP Data Management System.   Provides a database, templates, field data sheets, QAPP guidance and templates, and webinar trainings. Provides detailed Standard Operating Procedures .for:

CDFW California Stream Bioassessment Procedure.  Provides a scoring template for stream habitat conditions, a Bioassessment worksheet, biological metrics, sampling design, and sampling metrics.  https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-06/documents/csbp_2003.pdf

CDFW Salmonid Stream Habitat Restoration Manual.  2010.  Provides assessment and monitoring methods as well as project evaluation and monitoring protocols.  https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Grants/FRGP/Guidance

CDFW Qualitative Implementation and Effectiveness Monitoring of Fisheries Habitat, 2006.  Includes recommendations for field-tested monitoring protocols.  Http://ucanr.edu/sites/cff/files/255193.pdf

Monitoring the Implementation and Effectiveness of Fisheries Habitat Restoration Projects.  Provides descriptions of study design, sampling considerations, and monitoring procedures. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/monitoring-and-evaluation-restoration-projects

Watershed/ Habitat Improvement

California Watershed Assessment Manual.
Provides sampling guidance, measurement techniques, and discusses limitations of and appropriate use of data. Provides detailed information about monitoring methods and/ or assessment:

California Rapid Assessment Method.  Provides a “cost-effective and scientifically defensible rapid assessment method for monitoring the conditions of wetlands throughout California.”  Provides access to data spatially in an interactive map, data entry, SOPs for several types of wetland habitats, and other informational and guidance documents.  http://www.cramwetlands.org/

California Native Plant Society Vegetation Program.  Provides Rapid Vegetation Assessment and Releve Protocol and field forms.  Requests that those who use these protocols send a copy of their datasheets to update statewide CNPS database.  http://www.cnps.org/cnps/vegetation/protocol.php

CDFW Survey and Monitoring Protocols and Guidelines.  Protocols from various sources that have been tested and reviewed by CDFW.  Survey and monitoring protocols provided for plants, invertebrates, specific amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.  Also provides a photo point monitoring handbook from the US Forest Service.  https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Survey-Protocols

USDA Photo Point Monitoring Handbook. Specific methodology for establishing and documenting monitoring points.  https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cwt/guidance/4214a.pdf

SWRCB CWT Stream and Shoreline Photo Documentation SOP.  Available as part of the Guidance Compendium for Watershed Monitoring and Assessment, this SOP provides an equipment list, methods, and forms.  http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/cwt_guidance.shtml

Water Quality Improvement

SWAMP – Clean Water Team Citizen Monitoring Tool Box, 2014.  Provides a tool box with templates to help manage and organize water quality monitoring data.  Field data sheets, calibration data sheets, advanced tools, and project monitoring.  http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/cwt_toolbox.shtml

SWAMP – Field Methods Course.  This is a training resource for SWAMP Field Methods.  Subjects include water quality, flow, water and sediment sampling, and physical assessments.  https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/cdrom.html

SWAMP – CWT Guidance Compendium for Watershed Monitoring and Assessment, 2011.  Comprehensive source for monitoring and assessment – from setting up the monitoring strategy to SOPs for water quality, nutrients, bacteria, biological communities, physical attributes, toxicity, and pollution.  http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/cwt_guidance.shtml

CDFW Quantitative Effectiveness Monitoring of Bank Stabilization and Riparian Vegetation Restoration, 2007.  Reports on field testing specific protocols for bank stabilization and riparian vegetation restoration.  http://cesonoma.ucanr.edu/files/27283.pdf

UCCE Sediment Delivery Inventory and Monitoring.  Contains inventory worksheet and photo records to provide landowners with tools to inventory and monitor sites that have potentially deliverable sediment.  ucanr.edu/sites/UCCE_LR/files/202923.pdf

Road Upgrading, Decommissioning and Maintenance. https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st5/Salmon_Workshop/10_Weaver_and_Hagans.pdf

Water Supply Reliability

SWAMP – CWT Guidance Compendium for Watershed Monitoring and Assessment, 2011.  Section 4. Provides methods and SOPs for measuring flow.  http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/cwt_guidance.shtml

Educational Materials and Training Opportunities

General Resources

Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) website has a number of tools and resources https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/cdrom.html

Information about the statewide effort to develop biological objectives and how to participate www.swrcb.ca.gov/plans_policies/biological_objective.shtml

SWAMP Clean Water Team, Citizen Monitoring: training and educational materials http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/cwt_volunteer.shtml

The California Water Quality Monitoring Council report “Preliminary Inventory of Monitoring Programs” (2008). It has helpful information about, and links to, the state’s major monitoring/assessment programs, support tools, and data libraries  http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/monitoring_council/

“Webinars” on various water issues are available through SWRCB’CWQMC http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/monitoring_council/

California Watershed Assessment Manual has a comprehensive treatment of watershed data collection and assessment https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-02/caliwam.pdf

Salmonid Restoration Federation trainings in watershed assessment https://www.calsalmon.org/programs/field-schools

Department of Fish and Game BIOS biogeographic data tutorials and training https://wildlife.ca.gov/Data/Training

Water Clarity (Transparency) and Color Using a Secchi Disc http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cwt/guidance/3151.pdf

Water Clarity (Transparency) Using a Transparency Tube http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cwt/guidance/3152.pdf

Using Transparency Tube and Total Suspended Solids(TSS) Data to Assess Stream Turbidity   http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cwt/guidance/3152a.pdf

Turbidity Measurement Using the Dual Cylinder Method http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cwt/guidance/3153.pdf

Turbidity Using a Nephelometer (“Turbidimeter”) http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cwt/guidance/3154.pdf

Collection and Use of Total Suspended Solids http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cwt/guidance/3157a.pdf

Fact Sheet – Water Color http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cwt/guidance/3159.pdf

Determining Color Water http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cwt/guidance/3159a.pdf