September 10-11, 2009

River View Room
Holiday Inn Express
204 West Marine Drive
Astoria, Oregon

Welcome to the Columbia River Estuary Science and Policy Exchange.

Purpose: To facilitate an exchange of information and ideas among members of the Council, the scientific community and fish and wildlife managers regarding ongoing habitat restoration work and RM&E in the lower Columbia River and estuary.

Facilitator: Donna Silverberg, DS Consultants

See the meeting notes from this conference

Day 1, September 10

Morning Session
Review of ongoing status and trend monitoring efforts

8:45-8:55Welcome and opening remarks — Joan Dukes and Dick Wallace (NWPCC)  
8:55-9:15The current state of knowledge on how juvenile salmon use the Columbia River estuary and plume habitats, including a summary of the Council's 2007 Science-Policy Exchange.
John Ferguson (NOAA Fisheries)
abstractpresentation
21mb PowerPoint
or 2mb PDF
9:15-9:45The Columbia River as a system: An oceanographic point of view
David Jay (PSU)
abstractpresentation
4.4mb PDF
9:45-10:15Invasive species: implications for habitat restoration and effects on salmonids
Mark Sytsma (PSU)
 presentation
14mb PowerPoint
or 2.8mb PDF
10:30-11:00Review of wetland habitat characteristics in the lower Columbia River and estuary
Amy Borde (PNNL)
abstractpresentation
2mb PDF
11:00-11:25Survival and behavior of juvenile chinook salmon in the lower Columbia River, estuary and plume
Geoffrey McMichael (PNNL)
abstractpresentation
7mb PowerPoint
or 1mb PDF

Afternoon Session
Review of research to reduce restoration uncertainties

1:00-2:00Toxic contaminants and their effects on resident fish and salmonids
Jennifer Morace (USGS), Lyndal Johnson (NOAA-F) and Elena Nilsen (USGS)
abstractpresentation
10mb PowerPoint
or 2mb PDF

updated 10/5/09
2:00-2:45Ecological role of tidal-freshwater and tidal-saltwater habitats for salmonids
Nichole Sather (PNNL)
abstractpresentation
9.4mb Powerpoint or 1.5mb PDF
2:45-3:00and Ed Casillas (NOAA-F)abstractpresentation
11mb PowerPoint
or 1.8mb PDF
3:00-3:30Development of an ecosystem classification system for the Columbia River estuary
Mary Ramirez (Univ of WA)
abstractpresentation
19mb PowerPoint
or 6.7mb PDF
3:30-4:00Implementing the 2008 FCRPS Biological Opinion using emerging scientific tools and restoration strategies
Tracey Yerxa (BPA)
abstractpresentation
4.8mb PowerPoint
or 1.5mb PDF
4:00-4:35Review of estuary actions for salmon and steelhead contained in the Columbia River Estuary ESA Recovery Plan Module, NOAA 2008 Biological Opinion and Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program
Phil Trask (PT&A) and Cathy Tortorici (NOAA-F)
abstractpresentation
380k PowerPoint

Day 2, September 11

Case studies of various habitat restoration actions, adaptive management and action effectiveness monitoring

8:30-9:15Overview and approaches to ecosystem restoration in lower Columbia River and estuary
Catherine Corbett (LCREP) and Ian Sinks (Columbia Land Trust)
abstractpresentation
13mb PowerPoint
or 5mb PDF
9:15-9:45Adaptive management for an ecosystem restoration program in lower Columbia River and estuary
Blaine Ebberts (COE)
abstractpresentation
1.7mb PowerPoint
10:15-10:45Project-level effectiveness monitoring in the estuary and response in fish communities
Micah Russell (CREST)
abstractpresentation
13mb PowerPoint
or 2mb PDF
10:45-11:15Evaluating cumulative ecosystem response of the Columbia River estuary ecoysystem to past and current restoration efforts
Ron Thom (PNNL)
abstractpresentation
22mb PowerPoint
or 6.7mb PDF
11:15-11:45Panel discussion wrap-up with Council members and audience presentation
70k PowerPoint
11:45-12:00Conference summary, identification of next steps and takeaways
Colin Levings (ISAB)
 presentation
50k PowerPoint