My Work
San Lorenzo Valley Water District
In 2021, I was appointed to the San Lorenzo Valley Water District’s Environmental committee. In 2022, I was reappointed to the now-combined Engineering and Environmental committee. I have shown my dedication by attending every meeting, and in most cases quorum would not have been reached in my absence.
The Fall Creek fish ladder is a mandated project which disqualifies the district for some grants. I spent the time researching and attending grant workshops to discover they did qualify for Prop 1 funding. I wrote a letter of recommendation and helped the District secure a $1.1 million grant to help pay for the Fall Creek Fish Ladder. I was persistent on the fact that the fish ladder needed to be inclusive in its design to allow for lamprey passage. Design changes to the weirs are now underway to insure that lamprey will be able to pass safely upstream to reach their spawning grounds.
The Fall Creek fish ladder is a mandated project which disqualifies the district for some grants. I spent the time researching and attending grant workshops to discover they did qualify for Prop 1 funding. I wrote a letter of recommendation and helped the District secure a $1.1 million grant to help pay for the Fall Creek Fish Ladder. I was persistent on the fact that the fish ladder needed to be inclusive in its design to allow for lamprey passage. Design changes to the weirs are now underway to insure that lamprey will be able to pass safely upstream to reach their spawning grounds.
California
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I have been a public servant my entire career, whether it be representing the federal or state government collecting critical data, or participating in non-proprietary research to create new open source technological advancements. I have fostered relationships with NGOs, private landowners, as well as local and federal agencies, to allow site access for monitoring and built partnerships among agencies.
I was asked to come to California to apply my expertise in salmonid survival studies utilizing telemetry technology to help better understand how drought conditions affect salmonid migration. The ability to monitor fish migration and behavior is crucial to understanding the impacts of extreme climate conditions, water operations, and developing management strategies to minimize threats. I have been involved in many projects in our area, including installing monitoring equipment on the Felton Bladder Dam and conducting topographic land surveys for the Carmel Dam Removal geomorphological study. I saw first-hand the impact the previous fire had on water quality, and how it affected the salmonid rearing at the Scott Creek Hatchery near our valley.The work I have done gives me a unique insight into our watershed and the best methods to protect the beneficial use of water for all users. Salmonid ConservationI have participated in research and monitoring for population viability and recovery plans covering all life history stages of salmonids. Aboard commercial fishing vessels in Alaska, I collected critical genetic data for the National Marine Fisheries Service of adult salmon bycatch. I have hiked miles of rivers searching for redds, spawned adults, and categorized critical habitat. High in the mountain tributaries of the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, I electrofished for juvenile salmonids in mark and recapture studies. As a fisheries surgeon, I implanted acoustic tags and operated boats to release hydrophones in a large regulatory monitoring study focused on juvenile salmonid passage and survival through the Federal Columbia River Power System.
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