The Coastal Restoration Monitoring and Evaluation Program (CRMEP) is part of the CDFG Fisheries Restoration Grants Program (Grants Program). CRMEP monitors projects in California's coastal anadromous watersheds that have been funded through the Grants Program. Monitoring of restoration projects has been incorporated since 1988, although the method described here has been used since 2005. The Grants Program funds a variety of projects ranging from education to placement of instream structures. CRMEP monitoring efforts are limited to projects that implement "on-the-ground" habitat restoration work such as bank stabilization, instream structure placement, or revegetation. The majority of projects concern freshwater habitats and do not occur in the estuary.

Each year, a minimum of 10% of the projects funded by the Grants Program in each of five geographical areas (North Coast, Northern Central Coast, San Francisco Bay, Central Coast and South Coast) are selected for monitoring. Projects are monitored before implementation to establish baseline habitat conditions, and then again within one to three years after the projects have been completed. Information is collected on the structural integrity of the features constructed and on whether the project features are functioning as intended. The evaluations are largely qualitative in nature and are based on a checklist type approach. Some quantitative measurements are taken to help assess effectiveness, for example, if a structure was meant to scour a pool, depths taken pre-project would be compared to depths taken one to three years after implementation.

Since 2005 there have been 8 restoration projects monitored under CRMEP in the Humboldt Bay watershed and 11 projects monitored in the Lower Eel River watershed. For more information on this program or for copies of annual reports, contact Barry Collins at the Department of Fish and Game in Fortuna (bcollins@dfg.ca.gov).

Locations in Humboldt Bay watershed: South Fork Janes Creek (2006), South Fork Freshwater Creek (2006), South Branch of the North Fork Elk River (2006), Salmon Creek (2006), Rocky Gulch (2005), Janes Creek (2005), Graham Gulch (2005, 2006), Campbell Creek (2006);

Locations in Lower Eel River watershed: Howe Creek, 2 sites (2005, 2006), Barber Creek (2006), Crystal Creek (2005), Price Creek, 2 sites (2005), Sweet Creek (2005), Reas Creek (2006), Van Duzen River, 3 sites (2005, 2006).

The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) is engaged in numerous projects to enhance wetland habitat on its public lands - Fay Slough, Mad River Slough, and Eel River wildlife areas. As numerous regulatory agencies (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Coastal Commission, North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, etc.) have permit authority over implementation of some of these activities, CDFG has been required to conduct monitoring surveys to demonstrate project success. Baseline and post-project monitoring has included vegetation (annual) and avian surveys (quarterly). The data are analyzed to determine if there has been a species shift from upland associated plants and birds to wetland associated species. The three wildlife areas mentioned above are in various stages of the monitoring process. For further information or reports on any of these monitoring programs, contact Karen Kovacs at CDFG, Eureka (kkovacs@dfg.ca.gov).

Website:

• CDFG Wildlife Areas

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The City of Arcata has implemented multiple restoration projects on creeks and sloughs that run through both undeveloped and urban areas of the city. Embedded within each of these restoration projects is a requirement to perform pre-treatment and post-treatment monitoring to evaluate ecological responses. Monitoring includes vegetation surveys in cases of riparian vegetation enhancement or tidally enhanced parcels to note the change in vegetation to salt tolerant species. Hydrological monitoring is included to chart changes in channel geometry and instream habitat availability. Typically, monitoring continues for 5 years beyond the completion of the restoration project. Restoration projects have been completed or proposed on the following creeks/sloughs: Gannon and McDaniels sloughs, Campbell, Beith, Janes, Jolly Giant, and Grotzman creeks, and at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary since the 1980s. For more information on the City of Arcata's restoration projects and their required monitoring data, please contact Julie Neander at the Arcata City Hall (jneander@arcatacityhall.org).

Report:

• Arcata Creeks Management Plan

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