Giving land to water- Placemaking of Flooded Polders in Sacramento SanJoaquin Delta_Boya Ye

GIVING LAND TO WATER Placemaking of An Experimental Flooded Polder in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

BOYA YE INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT 2016

GIVING LAND TO WATER

Giving Land to Water, Placemaking of An Experimental Flooded Polder in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

By Boya Ye “Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of” BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE In the Department of Human Ecology University of California, Davis Approved: __________________________ [Brett Milligan] Independent Project Chair __________________________ [Michael Rios], Independent Project Advisor 2016

ABSTRACT Land subsidence, aging levee infrastructure, and predicted sea level rise are creating unique flooded polders in the SacramentoSan Joaquin Delta. Those flooded polders are considered novel ecosystems because that human-built levee infrastructure has altered their species combinations and their ecosystem functions. Current researches in the Delta region have focused on examining the causes leading to flooded polders: land subsidence, sea level rise and catastrophic events, and the issues resulted from flooded polders such as regional climate change and alien species.

However, those discussions have remained theoretically at a conceptual scale, and few have discussed about the future use of Delta flooded polders and explore the design opportunities of those flooded polders.

With case studies, interviews and fieldwork, this study investigates the current uses of flooded polders in the Delta region and the potential design opportunities of a flooded polder to become a social interface between the main users of flooded polders: scientists and recreationists.

FIGURE 0.3: HOW DELTA FLOODED POLDERS EVOLVED?

FIGURE 0.2 ARIAL PHOTO OF DELTA FLOODED POLDERS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my deep gratitude to my faculty advisor, Professor Brett Milligan for guidance, patience and support during this senior project process. Through this senior project process, I have learnt from design theory, design research, to graphic rendering all within 10 weeks. With this experience, I acquired a better understanding about the nature and value of landscape architecture.

A special thank to John Durand at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Science for inspiring me with this unique topic and for helping me navigate through the ecological world of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Your constant support has provided helpful inputs to my project.

I would also like to thank Professor Michael Rios and Cory Parker for their advice and assistance in keeping my progress on schedule.

Finally, I wish to thank my family and friends for supporting me through this period.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

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ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

FIGURE 0.1 COVER IMAGE, YE FIGURE 0.2 ARIAL PHOTO OF DELTA FLOODED POLDERS, BURTYNSKY FIGURE 0.3 DIAGRAM ABOUT HOW DELTA FLOODED POLDERS EVOLVE, YE

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

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EMERGENCE OF DELTA FLOODED POLDERS PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

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CHAPTER 2: PROBLEM STATEMENT

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PROBLEM 1: DELTA FLOODED POLDERS WITH UNCERTAIN FUTURES PROBLEM 2: A KNOWLEDGE GAP IN THE DELTA NOVEL ECOSYSTEM

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CHAPTER 3: PURPOSE STATEMENT &RESERACH QUESTION

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DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH RESEARCH QUESTIONS

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CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH DESIGN, METHODS,& DATA COLLECTION

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CASE STUDIES INTERVIEWS FIELD WORK &DESIGN RESEARCH

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CHAPTER 5: DESIGN INVESTIGATION & ANALYSIS

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ABOUT BACON ISLAND REGIONAL NETWORKS USER ANALYSIS ECOLOGICAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK DESIGN FRAMEWORK AREA OF INTERVENTION

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REFLECTION & CONCLUSION

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APPENDIX WORKS CITED

FIGURE 1.1 IMAGE OF LEVEE BREACH OF LOWER JONES TRACT, DWR

PROBLEM STATEMENT FIGURE FIGURE FIGURE FIGURE

2.1 PROCESS OF LEVEE SUBSIDENCE,BOYA YE 2.2 DECOUPLING OF PELAGIC AND DETRITUS FOOD WEB IN THE DELTA, YE 2.3 LEVEE DECISION ANALYSIS, SUDDETH 2.4 SUBSIDENCE REVERSAL, PROJECTED YEARS TO REACH SEA LEVEL, DEVEREL

PURPOSE STATEMENT &RESERACH QUESTION RESEARCH DESIGN, METHODS,& DATA COLLECTION FIGURE 4.1 PHOTO OF LOWER JONES TRACT BREACH, DWR FIGURE 4.2 PHOTO OF FRANKS TRACT, DELTA NATIONAL PARK FIGURE 4.3 PHOTO OF LUCO POND, WILLIAMSON FIGURE 4.4 PHOTO OF BLACKLOCK RESTORATION SITE, DELTA COUNCIL FIGURE 4.5 PHOTO OF FIELD TRIP-OTTER TRAWL, YE FIGURE 4.6 PHOTO OF FISH MEASUREMENT, YE FIGURE 4.7 PHOTO OF BEACH SEINE, YE

DESIGN INVESTIGATION & ANALYSIS

FIGURE 5.1 REGIONAL NETWORKS, YE FIGURE 5.2 BACON ISLAND LOCATION MAP , YE FIGURE 5.3 DELTA WATERWAY IMAGE, YE FIGURE 5.5 SCIENTIFIC SAMPLING PHOTO, YE FIGURE 5.6 INTENTIONAL BREACHING FRAMEWORK -BREACHING POINTS, YE FIGURE 5.7 ECOLOGICAL PLANNIGN FRAMEWORK-HYDROLOGICAL CONNECTION, YE FIGURE 5.8 DESIGN FRAMEWORK MASTERPLAN, YE FIGURE 5.9 BRIDGE ENTRANCE HUB SITE PLAN, YE FIGURE 5.10 BRIDGE ENTRANCE HUB SECTION PERSPECTIVE, YE FIGURE 5.11 OVERLOOK BREACH SITE PLAN, YE FIGURE 5.12 OVERLOOK BREACH PERSPECTIVE, YE FIGURE 5.13 TIDAL POND BREACH PLAN, YE FIGURE 5.14 TIDAL PONG BREACH PERSPECTIVE, YE FIGURE 5.15 TIDAL STAGE BREACH PLAN, YE FIGURE 5.16 TIDAL STAGE BREACH PERSPECTIVE, YE FIGURE 5.17 CENTER PLATFORM ARIAL, YE

CONCLUSION AND REFLECTION

FIGURE 6.1 MIXING AMENITIES IN THE DESIGN, YE FIGURE 6.2 ROOM FOR SCIENTIFC UNDERSTANDING,YE FIGURE 6.3 FORESHORE LEVEE DIAGRAM, Rijkswaterstaat and Deltares FIGURE 6.4 ECO-ECONCRETE IMAGE, Rijkswaterstaat and Deltares FIGURE 6.5 TIDAL POOL IMAGE, Rijkswaterstaat and Deltares

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

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Emergence of Delta Flooded Polders Beginning in the mid-1800s, the extensive levee building transformed the SacramentoSan Joaquin Delta from a huge wetland area to an agricultural landscape with over 57 farmed islands and tracts. (Thompson, 1957).

Land reclamation and flood control projects lead to land subsidence on majority of those islands and reduced hydrologic variability in the surrounding waterways (Moyle et al., 2010). Those islands subside up to 32 feet below sea level due to soil oxidation and compaction, and the enclosed levees protecting those polders have a high potential of failure due to aging, lack of maintenance, vulnerability from earthquakes and the continuous sea level rise (Durand, 2014).

When levee breaches occur in deeplysubsided islands, rapid filling of water creates flooded polders where water and land reconnect. Based on the increasing probabilities of levee failure and serious flooding events, and the limited support for Delta levee upgrades, more flooded polders are expected to evolve and their impacts on the whole Delta landscape will escalate (Mount et al., 2005).

Meanwhile, there is a lack of scientific and public understanding about the ecologies of flooded polders: scientists are struggling with understanding the novel ecosystem dynamics while the Delta residents do not recognize the huge landscape transformation and environmental impacts now and predicted in the future.

Purpose of The Study While limited research directly studies the dynamics and ecologies of flooded polders in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, seminal studies focus on the Delta regional issues such as land subsidence, sea level rise, levee decision-making, ecosystem health, water supply, and regional management.

Scholars from different disciplines use distinct approaches to address these challenging issues and predict the future Delta landscapes under different assumptions: business as usual or dramatic landscape change due to climate change.

Researchers who focus on land subsidence processes use quantitative approaches to predict future land subsidence trends under different land subsidence reversal strategies; researchers who focus on the Delta aquatic ecosystems analyze regional stressors and discuss about future management strategies; and agency researchers who focus on regional management regimes balance between different perspectives with a consideration about the complexity of the Delta problems.

With the focus on ecological, political, and economic dimensions of the Delta flooded polders, those researchers target their main audience as environmental managers, researchers, and policy makers. However, few studies have delved into the actual planning of flooded polders and inquired into the social implications of flooded polders.

Meanwhile, the mix of land and water in the Delta offers diverse recreation opportunities.

With 5 million people living within the a 20-minute drive of the Delta, typical residents in these regions would visit a park about six days each month (California State Parks, 2011). The inviting Delta waterways encourage a waterfront lifestyle: a dockside home fronting a slough, memberships in a boating club and friendships originating in regattas.

Considering the scientific and recreation context of the Delta, this study will examine the design opportunities of the Delta flooded polders, and use the design research process as a method of exploring how Delta flooded polders can create a sense of place to hold social interactions.

FIGURE 1.1 IMAGE OF LEVEE BREACH OF LOWER JONES TRACT, DWR 3

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CHAPTER 2: PROBLEM STATEMENT

The Delta flooded polders – as the result of land subsidence, levee breaches, and regional climate change– evolve as the unique landscape feature of the SacramentoSan Joaquin Delta. With more and more flooded polders come to rise, proactive management of flooded tracts is needed to hedge risks, save money and repurpose flooded polders for other uses. However, the lack of understanding about how Delta 5

flooded polders will perform in the future restricts scientists and agencies to make future planning and management decisions.

Therefore, my study calls for an intentional breach of a deeply-subsided island with low asset value, and look into the detailed design strategies of proactive flooded polders which can enhance scientific and public uses of flooded polders.

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PROBLEM 1: DELTA FLOODED POLDERS AS AN INEVITABLE TREND Sinking Polders In the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, 1,100 miles of channel front levees preserved 56 percent of the total 5635,000 acres of peat and alluvial land from returning to a deltaic swamp. (Thompson 1957). The former wetland soils change in structures and functions after land reclamation, leading to the continuous subsidence of land-surface.

The Delta polders, before being drained for agriculture, have surface elevations slightly above the local mean sea level. In order to create aerobic rooting zones for agriculture practices, the soils on polders were drained, losing its buoyant forces (Deverel et al., 2010). Over time, the organic peat soils oxidized, further increasing the land subsidence rates on Delta islands.

FIGURE 2.1 PROCESS OF LEVEE SUBSIDENCE

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In addition, many farmed islands lowered their water table levels to continuously keep pace with the land-surface subsidence, resulting in greater level of subsidence (Drexler et al., 2009). Approximately 55–80% of the original peat layer on the farmed islands has been lost due to land- surface subsidence, and the peat loss will continue as long as the artificial water table on the farmed islands is below the land surface (Deverel et al., 2010). This continuing subsidence increases the drainage loads of water, and brings about concerns on water quality, seepage into islands and decreased land arability.

Volatile Levees

Climate Change

In addition to the sinking polder, the current levee network that protects deeply subsided islands has high probabilities of failure due to overtopping, seepage, or collapse during earthquakes (Suddeth, 2011).

Considering the uncertainty in climate change effects, higher frequency of catastrophic events and increasing sea level rise are likely to make the Delta polders more vulnerable to floods (Mount et al., 2005). It is reported that there is a two-in-three chance that 100- year recurrence interval floods or earthquakes by 2050 will occur in the Delta. (Luoma et al., 2015).

The levee around those polders varies in construction and reliability, and many rely upon old cores of peat dredged a century ago (Thompson, 1957). For more than 100 years, it has been recognized by state governments and Delta landowners that Delta levees are destined to fail. Based on current flood and seismic failure probabilities, the median Delta Island has a 95 percent probability of failure between now and 2050, and a 99 percent probability of failure by 2100 (Luoma et al., 2010).

Furthermore, not all levees are even fixable or defensible. The typical levee breach repair on flooded polders costs 20 to 30 million dollars, which include 25 million to fix the levee infrastructure and an additional 0.34 per cubic meter to pump water from the island (Suddeth, 2010). Additionally, the failure of levees in one part of the Delta is likely to increase the risk of failure elsewhere, and multiple, simultaneous levee breaks would allow a massive salinity intrusion into the Delta.

Turning the Delta brackish would threaten agricultural crops and urban water supplies that rely on high-quality water exported from the area. (Thompson 1957; Mount et al., 2005; Luoma et al., 2010).

Also, it is roughly a 50-50 change that 5-20 levee segments will fail during a 100-year storm event in the Delta (Torres et al.). Even though it is certain that most Delta polders will be turned into flooded polders in the future, there are still a lot of uncertainty in the level of subsidence, the configuration of levee breach, the timing of catastrophic events, and the impacts of climate change in the future.

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PROBLEM 2: A KNOWLEDGE GAP OF THIS NOVEL ECOSYSTEM A Novel Ecosystem to Figure Out

Impossible to Restore

The Delta flooded polders has been altered tremendously in structure and function, becoming a novel ecosystem which scientists are eager to understand.

Attempts to return polders back to their historical biotic and abiotic characteristics and processes may not be possible for several reasons.

Besides the abiotic structure change such as land subsidence and sea level rise, the biotic structure of flooded polders is novel. Flooded polders become home to a combination of native and non-native species: endemic species such as Delta smelt and Sacramento splittail, culturally and economically important species such as salmon and sturgeon, migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, and even invasive species such as Egeria densa, corbula amurensis, and Cobicula fluminea.

The alien clams Potamocorbula amurensis and the submersed aquatic weed Egeria densa spread throughout the Delta polders, altering the structure and functions of open water tracts and slow moving sloughs (Durand, 2014). Egeria causes problems by trapping sediment and decreasing turbidity, while at the same time providing easy coverage for non-native predator species; the clams limit food sources for the Delta’s fish by consuming large amounts of phytoplankton.

(Suddeth, 2010).

FIGURE 2.2 DECOUPLING OF PELAGIC AND DETRITUS FOOD WEB IN THE DELTA

First of all, converting the bowl-shaped, highly subsided polders back to intertidal and emergent marsh habitat requires more than 50 years and even more construction activities that may harm the ecosystem even more (Deverel et al., 2015). Land subsidence reversal researchers have studied the ways to create impounded wetlands, however studies indicate that large areas of the periphery, central and western Delta could not be restored to tidal elevations within 50 to 100 years (Swanson et al, 2015).

When retention or restoration of historical ecosystems is no longer possible, or at least no longer feasible given the current management strategies, a suitable goal for flooded polders design may be their retention in a hybrid state. Various authors have argued that non-native species in novel ecosystems may have an important role in providing ecosystem services in the future (Hobbs. et al. 2009; Seastedt et al., 2008). Therefore, setting the design goals of flooded polders as a place for the scientists to figure out what kind of ecosystem services the Delta flooded polders will have is a starting point to deal with the current unknown designs strategies for flooded polders.

Even if flooded polders were restored to marsh habitats, they would no longer be connected by meandering terminal sloughs.

The regional climate in Delta is undergoing great alterations compared to the past, and restoring only flooded polders back to historical wetland conditions will not be effective in enhancing the whole Delta ecosystem health (Mount et al., 2012).

Many invasive species have settled and became part of the local pelagic and detritus food web (Durand, 2015). Thus, traditional restoration strategies, which eliminate all invasive species and support only endemic fish species, are no longer feasible.

FIGURE 2.3 LEVEE DECISION ANALYSIS

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A Gap in Knowledge The existing knowledge of flooded polders comes from the disciplines of land subsidence, hydrology, ecology, biology and Delta managing programs. Even though there is limited research directly study the dynamics of the Delta flooded polders, the existing efforts have been focused on land subsidence reversal, aquatic native fish habitat restoration, and regional environmental management that recognized the complexity of Delta problems.

Meanwhile, literature has also recognized the great uncertainty in the physical character of potential flooded habitat—island location, depth, and breach configuration—and how different species might respond to other variables. Some commonly identified concerns about flooded polders include habitat considerations, water quality issues, and impacts on neighboring islands (Suddeth, 2010).

From the literature review of the existing body of knowledge regarding flooded polders. A summary of flooded polder facts is listed as follows: 1. According to the land subsidence reversal simulation, large areas of the periphery, central and western Delta could not be restored to tidal elevations within 50 to 100 years (Swanson et al., 2015; Deverel et al., 2015).

2. Native fish populations are usually used as an indicator of Delta aquatic ecosystem conditions. This is because the much-publicized instability of the fish populations such as delta smelt, longfin smelt, salmon steelhead, and sturgeon over recent decades reflects the ecosystem function of the Delta aquatic environment. (Moyle et al., 2012; US Fish and Wildlife Service, 1996).

FIGURE 2.4 SUBSIDENCE REVERSAL, PROJECTED YEARS TO REACH SEA LEVEL OF THE SIMULATED HOLOCENE STUDY 11

4. At a regional management scale, most research attempting to solve the Delta’s problems is politically driven (Luoma et al., 2012). Thus, no acceptable solutions have resulted because agencies and other stakeholders usually sought to negotiate solutions based on their political acceptability.

5. Past research on Delta problems has rooted in agency data collection and academic research, and they claimed that a directed problem-solving research is in need to address the complexity of Delta problems (Luoma et al., 2012).

3. Both regional-scaled water and environmental management and small to intermediate-scaled restoration strategies to encourage local recruitment and enhance food webs are attempting scientific efforts (Durand, 2014; Moyle et al., 2012). Options for increasing pelagic production at large scales are limited, but may include management of clams, nutrient ratios and odd-channel habitat subsidies (Durand, 2014).

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CHAPTER 3: PURPOSE STATEMENT & RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Recognizing the limited amount of research on the design opportunities and constraints of flooded polders in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and considering that Delta flooded polders are novel ecosystems that have uncertain yet promising futures, my research expanded the knowledge on flooded polders through case studies, fieldwork, and interviews, and explored the design opportunities through research design 13

The Purpose of this mixed-method –Case Studies, Fieldwork, Interview, and Research Design— study is to discover the design implications of flooded polders as a place.

Specifically, I would like to test the design for an experimental flooding tract as a prototype, which attempts to optimize use and place value for the main users who are likely to use it.

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Description of Research

Research Questions

The research was conducted in two phases.

The first phase was to expand the current knowledge on flooded polders and to understand the opportunities and constraints of flooded polders for design through case studies, fieldworks, and interviews.

Following the acquisition and assessment of knowledge in the first phase, the second phase was to break down the research problem into discrete elements and examine the relationships between detailed elements through the site design of a particular Delta polder, which I proposed to intentionally flood.

PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS

How can flooded polders in Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta be designed in a way to optimize the use and place value and become a social interface for scientists and visitors in the Delta?

1. How are flooded polders currently being used in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta?

The second phase was design investigation and analysis through design research. With the acquisition and assessment of knowledge in the first phase, the design problem was broken down into discrete elements that constitute an experimental flooded polder landscape. I then applied what I have learnt during phase one into a particular site: Bacon Island in Central Delta. I examined the relationships between different elements of a flooded polder through reiterative design process by examining and re-framing the problems. Finally, I synthesized all design elements into a coherent construction, which will be subject to evaluation in the future.

During the first phase of this research, I studied the Delta flooded polders’ qualities through case studies, fieldwork, and interviews. The case studies on the existing Delta flooded polders gave me insight on how flooded polders are used currently. The fieldworks I did both on boats with the UC Davis Watershed Center scientists and on vehicle with property owners of Bacon Island allowed to acquire information about the physical characteristics of the Delta flooded polders and understand how the users are using flooded polders. Also, structured interviews to the scientist, recreationists, and agencies provided me with the perspective about how others perceive the design opportunities of flooded polders.

CASE STUDIES INTERVIEWS FIELDWORKS 15

The use value optimization here is defined as the utility of experiencing landscape.

Even though a flooded polder will become public landscape once flooded, different groups of users—particularly scientists and recreationists will use flooded polders in different ways. The study tried to design the flooded polders in a way to make flooded polders useful for scientists and recreationists.

The place value optimization in the research question refers to creating a sense of place, which makes a place special and unique, as well as to foster a sense of authentic human attachment and belonging. As the sense of place for Delta has shifted from natural landscape, a highway, an agricultural paradise, to a place of escape from the pressure of the Bay Area, I would like to create a sense of place, which highlights its feral and wild identity.

2. Who are the potential users for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta?

3. How to optimize the use of flooded polders for scientists, recreationists, and nearby farmland property owners?

4. How to create a sense of place in Delta flooded polders, which highlights the feral identity of Delta but also show a little bit of civilization on the edge?

5. How can flooded polders become a social interface for scientists and visitors to interact and communicate?

6. How can flooded polders, as a social interface, fill the gap of lack of scientific and public understanding of Delta flooded polder ecologies and dynamics?

DESIGN RESEARCH

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CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH DESIGN METHODS & DATA COLLECTION RESEARCH METHODS:

The research methods I chose for this study are Case Studies, Fieldwork, Interviews, and Design Research.

RESEARCH TIMELINE:

The study is 10 weeks long, with two phases: site investigation and design investigation.

The first five weeks focused on expanding the knowledge of flooded polders and discover the design opportunities of flooded polders through case studies, fieldworks, and interviews. The following five weeks focused on design research on Bacon Island in Central Delta.

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WHO WAS INVOLVED:

Since I targeted the users of the flooded polder design as the Delta recreation communities and researchers who conducted fieldwork in the Delta waterways and flooded tracts, I collaborated and interviewed with many scientists and local fishermen in the Delta. I consulted with John Durand from the UC Davis Watershed Center throughout the whole process of this study to acquire technical expertise. In terms of fieldwork, I conducted the scientific sampling fieldwork with the scientists from UC Davis Center for Watershed Science, and also I have conducted on site investigation with the property owner of Bacon Island: Delta Wetland Project Properties. In terms of interviews, I conducted structured interviews to scientists from different agencies, and to bank fishermen near the Bacon Island.

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Case Studies Case studies were conducted in the first two weeks of the project. I conducted case studies on the existing flooded tracts in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in order to acquire detailed knowledge about performance factors of flooded polders, and on proposed restoration project plans that promote intentional flooding. Those cases were studied in its social and physical context, and the information about those cases was collected through interviews,

observations and document analysis. The role of case studies in my research is to discover how the flooded polders are being used currently, and what kind of activities is happening in those flooded tracts. The cases that I chose for my case studies include Liberty Island, Franks Tract, Luco pond and Black lock. The management regimes and the human use of those places were analyzed as follows:

CASE 1: Liberty Island, Flooding as An Accidental Restoration

CASE 2: Franks Tract, A California State Park

Location: northwestern fringe of the Delta

Location: Southeast of Brannan Island between False River and Bethel Island in Central Delta

Flood history:

1995: a big chunk of levee at the island’s southern tip crumbled into Cache Slough 1997: repaired and failed again

Flood history:

Current Physical and Ecological state:

Current Physical and Ecological state:

Current use:

Current use:

Inside the breached circle of levees created a vast tidal lake.

The lake floor sloped like a swimming pool from diving depths at the south to wading depths at the north. Within a few months of the break, tules were colonizing the northern shallows.

The Franks Tract State Recreation Area is accessible only by water. The recreation area is used primarily for fishing and waterfowl hunting. It is a popular spot for anglers, waterfowl hunters, and people like fly-fishing.

CASE 3: Luco Pond, A Managed Duck Pond

CASE 4: Blacklock, A Breached Tidal Marsh Restoration Project

Flood history: FIGURE 3.2 PHOTO OF FRANKS TRACT

Actively managed duck club as a managed wetland

Current Physical and Ecological state:

A managed wetland that create habitat to attract target waterfowl species with water management regimes.

Current use:

An actively managed duck club for waterfowl hunting in Suisun Marsh region.

FIGURE 3.3 PHOTO OF LUCO POND

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Featured a 3523-acre flooded area in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. In times of high water, the entire site can be submerged except for portion of the old levees. During falls and winters, a large variety of waterfowl can be found in Franks Tract.

In 2003, biologists began to sample the new habitat for fish.

Lots of native species and culturally important species such as longfin and Delta smelt, Sacramento splittail, and striped bass have been found in the flooded tract. (Bay Nature, 2010)

Location: Suisun Marsh

FIGURE 3.1 PHOTO OF LIBERTY ISLAND

1936: First time flood 1997: Flooded again. Very few landforms remain exposed.

Location: northeastern region of Suisun Marsh Flood history:

2006: intentional breached to enhace habitat value for a variety of fish and wildlife species

Current Physical and Ecological state:

70 acres of land was breached to tidal marsh.

Current use: Some monitoring has occurred at the site, but until recently fish populations and productivity levels have not been studied. The types of fish that are using this restoration site as well as the amount and types of fish food being produced are sampled by the UC Davis watershed Center.

FIGURE 3.4 PHOTO OF BLACKLOCK RESTORATION SITE

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Interviews The primary purpose of interviews to discover the design opportunities of flooded polders.

Below is a summary of interview results from different stakeholder groups: FROM SCIENTISTS:

I have interviewed different groups of stakeholders to the Delta flooded polders: scientists who study and conduct field work in the Delta waterways and flooded polders; local Delta recreation groups, particularly fishermen who came to the Delta polders on a regular basis; and active local Delta initiatives and agencies.

Interviews are conducted along with site analysis for direct contact with participants, to collect firsthand personal accounts of experience, opinions, attitudes, and perceptions (Martin& Hanington, 2012).

Different groups were interviewed with different versions of interview scripts in order to collect data about how flooded polders are being used now and could be used in the future. The interview questions helped my research questions in terms of providing the assumed framework for my intentional breach planning, aiding in discovering design needs, and predicting the general acceptance on flooded polder idea. See Appendix for the interview scripts used during the study.

a.Purpose of using Delta flooded polders: learn about how the Delta ecosystem support native and introduced species of fish, and explore how to apply to restoration projects b.Accessibility: driving and boating c.Activities: Monthly fieldwork includes: Catch fish (trawling, seine netting, and electro-fishing); Sample water quality; sample zooplankton, map bathymetry, survey riparian habitat d.Need: a place to accommodate classes and meals e.Interaction between recreation and scientific works: Beneficial collaboration with private duck or boat clubs.

There are more opportunities for the public agency to interact with private property owners. Also, knowledgeable fishermen will help direct scientists’ fieldwork. Furthermore, it is great to have visitors understand scientific works and interested in the environment.

Design research

I volunteered at the monthly sampling of the UC Davis Watershed Center to North Delta, particularly Lindsey slough, north Liberty Island mitigation bank, Putah Creak basin, and Suisun Marsh. I participated in the otter trawl, beach seine, water quality sampling. The fieldwork was conducted mostly on boat, while Liberty Island provided shelter and beach condition for sampling near the shore. By walking into the flooded polders and participating in the monthly sampling activities, the fieldwork enabled me to understand the perception and use values of flooded polders from the perspectives of scientists.

After acquiring information and knowledge though case studies, interviews and fieldwork at the first phase, I started research design, which is research embedded within the process of design. The beginning of this phase involved establishing an intentional breaching framework as the assumption for my detailed design. During this phase, I investigated different elements that constitute a flooded polder through detailed design of those elements. The goal is to use subtle design to create a sense of place in the Delta flooded polder, and encourage the communication between recreationists and scientists.

Also, I have visited the Bacon Island for on site inventory and analysis several times by car. By talking with the property owners and the nearby farmers, I acquired more insights about the sense of place of Delta polders to property owners.

FROM RECREATIONISTS a. Purpose of using Delta flooded polders: water-base or water-enhanced recreation b. Accessibility: driving and boating c. Activities: bank fishing, boat fishing, boating, wildlife observation, water-ski d. Need: better water quality, shelter from the wind e. Interaction between recreation and scientific works: It is nice to share with scientists what fish species they have caught. Boaters would love to meet scientists on Delta waterways and see what they are doing.

FROM AGENCIES: a. Purpose of using Delta flooded polders: manage properties and infrastructure b. Accessibility: driving and boating c. Foreseen opportunities of flooded polders: seasonal water reservoir, pelagic habitat creation, and more scientific studies of the ecological benefits of a flooded island, adaptive management to realize ecological benefits. d. Foreseen activities of flooded polders: waterfowl hunting, wind-surfing, bird watching e. Need: infrastructure or projects with low maintenance level f. Interaction between recreation and scientific works: The publics would benefits from the opportunity to observe wildlife in the Delta in the type of flooded polder habitat.

Multi-benefit uses and functions should be encouraged.

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Fieldwork

FIGURE 3.5 PHOTO OF OTTER TRAWL

FIGURE 3.6 PHOTO OF FISH MEASUREMENT

FIGURE 3.7 PHOTO OF BEACH SEINE

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CHAPTER 5: DESIGN INVESTIGATION & ANALYSIS

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Bacon Island, Embedded in the Regional Networks

About Bacon Island The study site of my research is Bacon Island, an island 20 km east of Antioch, and 20 km west of Stockton in San Joaquin County, California. This 2,200 ha (5,400) island is bounded on the west by Old River, the north

by Connection Slough, on the East by Middle River, and Woodward Island Canal on the south. The island has historical wetlands around it, and multiple farmers previously farmed it.

Most area of Bacon Island is 15 feet below sea level, and it is surrounded by aging levees. It has very few infrastructures on site and the total land and asset value is worth $50,912,424; therefore, it is less likely to be fixed if the levee fails. Once the island flooded, the cost to repair will cost $74,170,946, whereas the cost of no repair will only be $4930,479. (Suddeth, 2011).

FARMED LAND PATTERN

HYDROLOGICAL NETWORK

Bacon Island, as well as all the islands around it: Mandeville Island, Woodward Island, Palm-Orwood Tract, and Holland Tract are all farmed islands. It is drained peat island with high level of land subsidence. The land at Bacon Island, for most parts, is more than 15 feet below sea level. (Deverel et al, 2010). Surveys indicate that the long-term average subsidence rate of Bacon Island is 1 to 3 inches per year (Rojstaczer and Deverel, 1993).

The Old River, the Middle River, and small tributary rivers in between surround Bacon Island on four sides. The Older River and the Middle River connect the San Joaquin River on the North, and to the State Water Pump Station to the South. Once the Bacon Island were flooded, it would become part of the flooded polder network in the South Delta, which include Franks Tract and Little Mandeville Island to the west and Mildred Island to the East.

LEVEE PATTERN Around the Bacon Island is the aging nonprojected levees made of peat. The levee system was completed in 1871. The levees were undermined because early construction failed to discharge dredges directly onto the levee from the channel (Thompson, 2006).

The local levee failure possibility of Bacon Island is 5% (Durand, 2014). The levee along Bacon Island Road experienced a major leak in 2004. DWR engineers repaired the levee break and pumped out excess water to Jones Tract.

ROAD NETWORK

FIGURE 5.2 BACON ISLAND LOCATION MAP 25

Very minimal public roads exist in South Delta. Bacon Island Road, which across the Bacon Island was the only public county road connected to the State I4 Highway in the region. The entrance to Bacon Island was through a bridge connection to the Bacon Island Road.

FIGURE 5.1 REGIONAL NETWORKS

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LIST OF SCIENTIFIC WORKS AND RECREATION ACTIVITES SCIENTIFIC WORKS

RECREATION ACTIVITIES

BASIC SCIENCE » Altered hydrology » Alterations to the physical landscape » Invasive species introductions and pollutants

» Boating » Wildlife viewing » Hunting and fishing » Camping » Hiking and Bicycling » Picnicking » Visiting parks, resorts, and historic communities

DELTA CHANGE MANAGEMENT SCIENCE » floods change » Seismic events » Toxic spills » New introductions of invasive species OPERATION OF THE DELTA SCIENCE » Water supply reliability » Flood management » Power benefits RESTORATION SCIENCE » Purposefully change the Delta ecosystem to support conservation of native species at the system-scale.

Juvenile and adult fish have been sampled monthly at standard sites within sub tidal slough. Contents of each trawl or senile are placed into large containers of water. Fish are identified, measured to the nearest mm standard length, and returned to the slough where captured. Sensitive native species are processed first and immediately released.

Number of black sea jellyfish, Siberian prawn, oriental shrimp, California bay shrimp, harris mud card, overbite clam, asian clam and other rare clam species are also recorded.

SAMPLING METHODS 1. TRAWLING Trawling is conducted using a four-seam otter trawl with a 1.5 m X 4.3 m opening, a length of 5.3 m and mesh size of 35 mm stretch in the body and 6mm stretch in the cod end. The otter trawl was towed at 4 km/hr for 5 minutes in small sloughs and at the same speed for 10 minutes in large sloughs.

2. BEACH SEINE Inshore fishes are sampled with 1 10-m beach seine having a stretched mesh size of 6 mm. For each site, temperature, salinity, and specific conductance will be recorded with a yellow springs instruments PRO2030 meter. Dissolved oxygen parameters, were measure sure with the PRO2030 meter. Water transparency (Secchi depth, cm), tidal stage(ebb, flood, high, low) and water depth were also recorded.

3. ELECTRO-FISHING Electro-fishing uses direct current electricity flowing between a submerged cathode and anode. This affects the movement of the fish so that they swim towards the anode where they can be caught. At least two people are required for an effective electrofishing crew: one to operate the anode, and the other to catch the stunned fish with a dip net.

AGENCIES’ ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS » California Department of Parks and Recreation » California Department of Water Resources » California Natural Resources Agency » California Waterfowl Association » East Bay Regional Parks District » Recreational Boaters of California » California Fish and Wildlife » USGS

FIGURE 5.3 DELTA WATERWAY IMAGE 27

SCIENTIFIC SAMPLING

FIGURE 5.5 SCIENTIFIC SAMPLING PHOTO

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ECOLOGICAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK INTENTIONAL BREACHING FRAMEWORK

WHY BREACH BACON ISLAND AS AN EXPERIMENTAL LANDSCAPE? 1. PROACTIVE ACTION NEEDED in order 2. DESIGN FOR ADAPTIVE to reduce risks, minimize losses and MANAGEMENT to acquire better increase the value of future flooded understanding of the novel ecosystem landscape (Durand, 2014).

FIGURE 5.6 INTENTIONAL BREACHING FRAMEWORK -BREACHING POINTS 29

Proactive management allows the planners and designers to plan in advance in order to maximize the longevity and function of expensive investment of restoration projects.

Being proactive means that the designers will consider the risks that will be affected by the flooded polders in advance. For example, strategies that protect the nearby polder, which may be subject to increased level of wind erosion and seepage due to the flooding of a polder, can be discussed and derived in advance.

According to the interviews, there is a need of research facilities within restoration projects so that scientists can go to restored sites more conveniently. Intentionally breaching the levee to create a flooded polder will give designers a chance to design the site in a way so that scientists can easily access the site and understand the novel ecosystem that is happening right now. In this way, scientists are able to apply what they have learnt from the existing restoration sites to future practices.

Proactive management of flooded polders has the chance to improve the habitat value of the flooded polders. For example, with appropriate habitat design goals in mind, flooded polder is likely to increase the pelagic productivity in the Delta, reduce the amount of alien species, and to provide a balanced combination of native and desirable alien fishes.

According to the literature review, flooding a polder in the south Delta will create a lake-like ecosystem, and aliens can quickly dominate it. Therefore, it is needed to consider in advance about the details such as the number and location of breaches, the use of maneuverable gates to manage water exchange, etc.

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ECOLOGICAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK INTENTIONAL BREACHING FRAMEWORK

PROPOSED LEVEE BREACHES LOCATION:

THE FLOODED STATE:

Levee would be breached at three locations (northeast, northwest, and southeast corner, as the diagram shows) to allow tidal action to return to Bacon Island.

The water will stay about 15 feet deep because of the subsided elevation, and the low tide and high tide level is assumed to be 0 feet and 4 feet for this design project.

BREACH CONFIGURATION:

ECOLOGICAL PRODUCTION

The breach opening will be 150 foot wide, with the estimated water flow velocity of 3 feet per second. The breaches would be protected by rock and geotextile and have a breach bottom elevation set at 0.0 feet msl, with a v-notch bottom elevation set at -5.0 feet msl. Excavated material would be used to build out the interior side of the levee at each end of the breach to allow for turn around area. Rocks would be placed on the face of the levee slope around the culvert for protection of the slope.

• Based on the current studies on Mildred Island, which locates next to it, the flooded Polder will host mostly a combination of nonnative and native plant and fish communities, and Tule bog can quickly colonize in the sediment concentrated area.

• New intertidal area will be created near the remnant levee, while the majority of Bacon Island will be in sub-tidal zone.

ECOLOGICAL INTENTION: Those breach opening will allow hydrologic connection to the Old and Middle River, and the water will quickly fill the subsided island floor. Also, intentional breaching at these locations will help export production to the north and towards Suisun Marsh region.

FIGURE 5.7 ECOLOGICAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK -HYDROLOGICAL CONNECTION 31

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DESIGN FRAMEWORK AREA OF INTERVENTION

The project is a subtle design intervention on elements of a flooded polder, driven by the needs and concerns of scientists and recreationists. Aiming for low maintenance level, the proposed framework not only shields the nearby farmland against floods and storm water, but also provides an improved public realm that encourage the communal understanding between the human-nature and scientist-recreationist relationships.

The proposal consists of separate but coordinated plans for five small area of intervention of the flooded polder:3 boat gateways and 2 hubs. Each compartment comprises a physically separate morphologies based on it specific recreation and scientific use. The compartments work in concert to create moments of interaction engaging scientists and recreationists.

As the navigation method through the Delta is primarily by boat, the levee breach points will create gateways for boats by opening up the levee. The sediments from breaching the levee will be used to the two-sides’ edges of the remnant levee. The edges of remnant levees are broadened to welcome the boaters, and they provide an anchor point and pump out station for the boaters to settle and climb up to the levee crown. The broadened shape of remnant levee will also serve as barrier islands to protect the nearby farmland by dissipating the wave energy. However, each remnant levee edge is given a different morphology based on the needs of Scientific and recreation use.

FIGURE 5.8 DESIGN FRAMEWORK MASTERPLAN 33

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BRIDGE ENTRANCE HUB AREA OF INTERVENTION

IDENTIFIED DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES Bacon Island Bridge, as the only vehicle access to the Bacon Island, is maintained by the county agency. Capitalizing around this existing infrasture and combing with the need for a boat launching ramp and a public restroom, BRIDGE ENTRANCE HUB is the visitor’s hub for people who drive to Delta

5

6

PRIMARY USERS

4

2

Scientists and visitors who come by car, or have a need to use the boat launching ramp and the public restroom

1

FEATURES 1. BOAT LAUNCHING SYSTEM 2. PATH TO THE WATER 3. PUBLIC RESTROOM 4. OVERFLOW BASIN WITH PEAT SEPTIC TANK 5. FORESHORE LEVEE WITH 10:1 SLOPE 6. INTERACTIVE WATER SENSOR Water Quality and TemperatureMonitoring Lighten up when fish passes Assist navigation at nights

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4

INTERACTION BETWEEN SCIENTISTS AND RECREATIONISTS AT FORESHORE LEVEE: Bank Fishing and Beach Seine

AT PATH TO THE WATER: Scientists monitor the Water qualities while Vistors can enjoy the view

AT THE PUBLIC RESTROOM A Visitor’s Log for sharing of fish catchment information can stimulate discussions while wating for the restroom FIGURE 5.9 BRIDGE ENTRANCE HUB SITE PLAN 35

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FIGURE 5.10 BRIDGE ENTRANCE HUB SECTION PERSPECTIVE 37

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OVERLOOK BREACH AREA OF INTERVENTION

IDENTIFIED DESIGN OPPORTUNTIIES The Northwest breach location is embedded within a network of habitat patches for birds and wildlife, and it is located next to the Rhode Island Restoration Site to the West.

PRIMARY USERS With its proximity to Franks Tract, this would be the entrance for recreationists and wildlife sceintists.

1 2

FEATURES 1. WILDLIFE OBSERVATION PLATFORM Signage regarding the bird species will be marked on the platform 2. FORESHORE LEVEE for boats to anchor

INTERACTION BETWEEN SCIENTISTS AND RECREATIONISTS AT OUTLOOK WILDLIFE OBSERVATION PLATFORM: shared by scientists who survey the riparian habitat and the recreationists who enjoy wildlife observation and waterfowl hunting.

FIGURE 5.11 OVERLOOK BREACH SITE PLAN 39

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FIGURE 5.12 OVERLOOK BREACH PERSPECTIVE 41

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TIDAL POND BREACH AREA OF INTERVENTION IDENTIFIED DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES The Northeast breach location is in between Mildred Island and Bacon Island. Also, it is on the route where South Delta Temporary Fish Project.

1.

1.

PRIMARY USERS Scientists who conduct fishery monitoring and fish sampling. The vistors who came to the island through the Bacon Island Bridge can access this point on foot.

FEATURES 1.

1.

2

1.

1. TIDAL PONDS Fish entrainment divergence and fish cleaning 2. VIEWING PLATFORM stepping down to the water

1.

INTERACTION BETWEEN SCIENTISTS AND RECREATIONISTS AT TIDAL PONDS: Scientists and Recreationists can identify, count and measure the captured fishes together at this location

FIGURE 5.13 TIDAL POND BREACH PLAN 43

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FIGURE 5.14 TIDAL PONG BREACH PERSPECTIVE 45

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TIDAL STAGE BREACH AREA OF INTERVENTION

IDENTIFIED DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES The south breach is the only access on the south, and it is right next to the Railroad Cut, which is a popular water ski trail due to its straight form between Old River and Middle River. It is also the closest access to the nearby public boat launching points and bigger marinas

PRIMARY USERS Recreationists from the Discovery Bay, or the Stockton Manteca Bass Pro shop.

Scientists from FIsh and Games usualy come from the south direction as well.

2

1

1

FEATURES 1. EDUCATIONAL OVERLOOK PLATFORM viewing the Bacon Island Bridge, nearby farmlands and the Mildred Island. The overlook platform highlights what kinds of fish species exist in the intertidal and subtidal zone of flooded polders 2. COUNTABLE TIDAL STAGE This stepping stariway to the platform has every step at differen ttidal elevation. So the scientists can know the current tidal stage level when entering the site.

INTERACTION BETWEEN SCIENTISTS AND RECREATIONISTS

FIGURE 5.15 TIDAL STAGE BREACH PLAN 47

AT TIDAL STAGE PLATFORM Scientists and Recreationists read the tidal stage by looking at the stairs on the remanet levee of breach location, and access the platform for view and monitoring.

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FIGURE 5.16 TIDAL STAGE BREACH PERSPECTIVE 49

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CENTER PLATFORM AREA OF INTERVENTION

IDENTIFIED DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES A floating experience in the middle of a flooded polder

PRIMARY USERS Boater

SHADED PLATFORM

A special outdoor classroom space. A specular view with the water around.

FEATURES 1. Shading Platform with a series of boarding docks and transient docks

INTERACTION BETWEEN SCIENTISTS AND RECREATIONISTS AT CENTER PLATFORM A conversation happening in the middle of the flooded polder. Communication across the boats or stepping to the platform for a quiet view.

FIGURE 5.17 CENTER PLATFORM ARIAL 51

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CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION & REFLECTION

Within the infrastructure-dependent Delta landscape, the majority of lands are protected by the levee. While people may drive on those levee roads everyday, these engineering structures usually are hiding “ in the shadow� until a levee fails. An infrastructure failure maybe disastrous enough to call attention upon those invisible infrastructures; yet it is not economically feasible to repair all the levee infrastructure failures based on the cost analysis. Therefore, many flooded polders will become abandoned landscape. Therefore, defining the conceptual models for the design of infrastructural adaptive reuse is necessary in order to proactively plan for the inevitable future of giving land to water.

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DISCOVERED DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES OF FLOODED POLDERS This study was initially an attempt to uncover the design opportunities of novel ecosystems within Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta; yet through case studies, interviews, field work and design research, it is clear that the idea of novel ecosystems calls for more detailed research to understand this new phenomenon we are facing today.

Through Case Studies, Interviews and Fieldwork, I have discovered that the design opportunities of flooded polders include: 1. To provide research facilities for adaptive management and monitoring of landscape with novel ecosystems. As the there is an increasing uncertainty around any actions made in the Delta, having design facilities that enables regular monitoring and evaluation of the environmental response to management will facilitate detecting unexpected outcomes and adjusting management actions according to those uncertainties.

2. To establish a communal understanding between scientists and the ecological process, in between different groups of scientists, and between scientists and the general public. In the case of Delta flooded polders, recreationists are the users who will most likely access and use the Delta flooded polders.

FIGURE 6.1 MIXING AMENITIES IN THE DESIGN 55

LESSONS FROM DESIGN RESEARCH Therefore, part of the design objective is to make flooded polders a social interface between the scientists and recreation groups.

Through Design Research, I have learnt the following: 1. When designing landscapes with low value/investment returns, capitalize and centralize design around the existing infrastructure and infrastructural changes will be more efficient.

2. The study in the Delta has its complexity, and pervasive researches and activities have been focusing on the physical system, water supply, water quality, ecological complexity and institutional complexity. Wildlife scientists may be an invisible community group because they work usually in rural area, but bringing their scientific work into the public’s attention will establish a mutually beneficial relationship between the two groups.

3. In terms of encouraging social interaction between scientists and recreationists, mixing amenities on site and include programming specifically designed to bring heterogeneous groups together may be necessary.

4. When thinking in the long term, one of the option of the future flooded polder landscape model could be to selectively choose certain points along the levee as a future hub for people to use, and letting the rest of the remnant levee to erode.

4. When the levee breaches, either intentionally or accidentally, the edge of levee breaches becomes an area of design opportunities. Some potentially useful edging landscape typologies include: a. Foreshore levee b. Eco-concrete c. Tidal pools

FIGURE 6.2 ROOM FOR SCIENTIFC UNDERSTANDING

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USEFUL EDGING LANDSCPAE TYPOLOGIES OF FLOODED POLDERS FORESHORE LEVEE ECOSYSTEM SERVICE: Flooded Protection Water Quality Recreation Biodiversity Support

SPECIFICATION:

Dissipate Wave Energy Capture Silt to Allow Growth with Rising Water Level

SYSTEM

Freshwater

ORGANISMS: Shoreline Vegetation

FIGURE 6.3 FORESHORE LEVEE DIAGRAM

ECO-CONCRETE ECOSYSTEM SERVICE: Water Quality Nursery of fish Biodiversity Support

SPECIFICATION:

Encourage colonization by algae and larvae Algae and Larvae attract fish Increase Filtering Capacity of Water

REFLECTION

SYSTEM:

Freshwater/Intertidal zone

ORGANISMS:

Algae, Seaweed, Birds, Mussels

FIGURE 6.4 ECO-ECONCRETE IMAGE

TIDAL POOL ECOSYSTEM SERVICE: Biodiversity Support Nursery Recreation

SPECIFICATION:

Establish opportunities in the toes of the dike Shelter for junvenile fish

SYSTEM:

Base of dike

As the way how human beings interact with the landscape changes, the sense of place of Delta shifts because people impose different definitions of the environment. In the case of the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta, with more and more novel ecosystems arising, and society working on reconciling those changes, wait for people to figure out, giving land to water is one way of imposing a new sense of place of Delta: Landscape as a way of learning about ecologies.

ORGANISMS: Juvenile Fish, Common prawns 57

FIGURE 6.5 TIDAL POOL IMAGE

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APPENDIX Interview Script For Researchers CLOSED ENDED - What is the main goal of your agency in the Delta?

- Do you guys go to existing restoration projects?

- How do you usually go to the delta site? Are there accessibility problem?

- What do you do when are out there? What activities? How does this compare with what other scientists do out there? Are there activities and needs highly varied?

- What kind of research facilities do you need for the site? Are they existing on site?

- In an ideal situation, what would you like to have on these sites to make your work easier, more fun, more efficient, more useful?

- Do recreational and other public uses interfere with your work? DO such uses help your help, or could they?

OPEN-ENDED - What’s your opinion on flooded Delta?

- What do you think the ecological and social opportunities are there in terms of design?

Do you have experience breaching a levee? Intentionally or one that was accidentally breached?

Interview Script for Recreational Groups

-How is you experience in Franks Tract? What do you like to do out there? What do other people do?

-How do you get to a recreational site?

-What did you do? When, Where?

-What kind of recreational need you think is in need in the delta region?

-If you could have anything added to Franks Tract, what would it be?

-Does scientific research affect recreation? Good or bad way?

-What is your opinion on flooding an island for water reservoir? What is your view on the Southern California District buying Delta islands

Interview Script for Governmental Agencies -What is your view on the Waterfix project?

-What is your opinion on flooding an island for water reservoir? What is you view on the Southern California District buying Delta islands?

-What is your agencies’ main goals in Delta region?

-What do you think would be the recreational need for the Delta?

-Do you have any experience with breaching a levee? Intentionally or accidentally? What are some concerns regarding levee breach?

-Which ecologies do you think should be privileged in the Delta region?

-How is your experience with Franks Tract?

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Durand, John R. (2015). A Conceptual Model of the Aquatic Food Web of the Upper San Francisco Estuary.

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(2005). Subsidence, Sea Level Rise, and Seismicity in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 3(1). Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/4k44725p.) eScholarship, University of California.

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Southern California water agency moves to buy Delta islands. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from http:// www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-anddrought/article64842097.html State of the Estuary Conference, San Francisco Estuary Project., & CALFED Bay-Delta Program. (2004). State of the Estuary 2004: Changes & challenges : San Francisco Bay, Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Estuary : October 2003, State of the Estuary Conference proceedings. Oakland, CA: San Francisco Estuary Project.

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THANK YOU 61

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