Research Overview
The CALFED Science Program considers funding scientific research to be a critical component in achieving its mission of establishing unbiased and authoritative knowledge directly relevant to CALFED actions. The goal of funding this research is to invest in knowledge that will fundamentally advance the understanding of the complex environments/systems within the CALFED jurisdiction to aid policy-makers and managers.
2007 Supplemental PSP proposals have been awarded.
Funded Research
There are two main tools the science program uses to fund scientific research. The first tool is a Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) where the CALFED Science Program, in collaboration with stakeholders and independent scientists, identify high priority focused topics for scientific research and solicits the scientific community for proposals to address the topics. The second tool is the innovative CALFED Science Fellows program that funds postdoctoral and graduate researchers to work with community and scientific mentors on targeted CALFED agency research priorities.
Each of these tools helps to develop new knowledge that is timely and highly relevant to CALFED decision-making by:
- identifying scientific unknowns of the highest priority to the CALFED community;
- soliciting for and supporting new scientific studies that closely investigate these scientific unknowns;
- thoroughly analyzing what is learned through unbiased scientific review;
- clearly articulating what is learned through publications, conferences, workshops, and web-sites.
The geographic area of focused research 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 (Map of Bay-Delta System, Map of Delta)