Do you dream of improving fisheries stock in California? Are rivers where you feel most at home? Are you a water resources engineer looking for your next move? If so, we are hiring for the next cohort of rockstar engineers to join our team at FlowWest and we want you!
Courtland Creek Project Breaks Ground
The City of Oakland has been working on a community-driven creek restoration project that will improve three daylighted sections of Courtland Creek, within Courtland Creek Park. The Courtland Creek Restoration Project (Project), an Oakland Measure DD Initiative, will protect, enhance, and restore approximately 950 feet of open creek channel.
UWDtap: A Glimpse into the Future at the California Water Data Challenge
Excitement is building on FlowWest’s Data Science Team as the California Water Data Challenge Event and Award Ceremony approaches on August 9-10 in La Jolla, CA. The event, designed to harness data's potential in redefining our grasp of safe drinking water access, vulnerabilities, and solutions, is where Senior Data Scientist, Ashley Vizek, and Data Scientists Erin Cain and Liz Stebbins will unveil their submitted project – UWDtap: Integrating California Urban Water Data. Read more about the project below.
Shoutout: Willie Whitfield for appearing on ESPN!
Our Staff Web Developer, Willie Whitfield, performed with Team DRC on The Basketball Tournament on ESPN last week. The team and players were selected at a very high level and we are proud of our employee for competing and giving it his all!
Go With the Flow: Willie Whitfield
Willie Whitfield has a lot to celebrate these days; from being freshly promoted to being on ESPN playing for Team DRC in The Basketball Tournament in a few short days, things are certainly exciting for him. FlowWest is proud to support our staff’’s growth and all their achievements, which is why this month’s Go With the Flow features our Staff Web Developer, Willie Whitfield. Catch Willie & Team DRC play some fierce basketball on ESPN+ at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern on 07/21 - come cheer him on with us!
Senior Engineer, Anna Kladzyk Constantino, to Lead Workshop at California Adaptation Forum
FlowWest is thrilled to be participating in the biennial California Adaptation Forum. FlowWest has been working at the forefront of climate vulnerability assessment, adaptation planning, and climate resilience strategy development for nearly a decade. The Forum will be held this year in Pomona, CA from 7/31-8/2, and promises to be an inclusive gathering that will bring together folks approaching this complex work from different perspectives in order to expand climate resilience across the State. In our climate adaptation work, we have grown to appreciate the deep importance of creating spaces for diverse voices to be heard and how empathic practice is necessary for building pathways to climate resilience. Read more below.
Now Hiring: Water Resources Engineer
FlowWest is still hiring for a water resources engineer. Are you passionate about fish passage design? Apply now to be involved with some of California's most cutting-edge water resource management solutions and a team making a difference in local watersheds.
Embracing Nature's Essence: Tuolumne River Trust's River Day and FlowWest's Commitment
Rivers are the lifelines of our planet, nurturing both human and natural ecosystems. One such remarkable river, the Tuolumne River, has captured the hearts of many with its mesmerizing beauty and vital role in sustaining life in Northern California. The Tuolumne River Trust, in collaboration with several sponsors including FlowWest, organized a grand event known as River Day to celebrate the river's splendor and raise awareness about its conservation. This year's River Day, held on June 4th 2023 at San Francisco's Little Marina Green, marked the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day and highlighted the importance of supporting local watersheds.
Enjoying the River View
FlowWest employee Ashley Vizek enjoys the photo backdrop of the Tuolumne River in San Francisco’s Little Marina Green; a gorgeous landscape worth protecting!
This past sunny Sunday, music blended with the sounds of nature as San Francisco's Little Marina Green transformed into a vibrant gathering place for River Day. From noon until 4 PM, attendees were treated to a captivating lineup of talented musicians who serenaded the crowd, infusing the atmosphere with melodies that echoed the spirit of the Tuolumne River. The performances by Marty O'Reilly, Kelly McFarling, Baby Steps, Kacie Hill, and Maya Elise and The Good Dream created a harmonious backdrop for a day filled with celebration and environmental consciousness.
Tuolumne River Trust's River Day celebrated the inherent beauty and ecological importance of the Tuolumne River. The event served as a harmonious convergence of music, environmental awareness, and community engagement. Through such collaborative endeavors, we can inspire others to cherish and safeguard our rivers, ensuring a vibrant and sustainable future for generations to come.
FlowWest at NM Water Data Workshop
Mark Tompkins: Guest Speaker at Oregon State's Monday Morning Meetings
Recently, at the Monday Morning Meetings seminar series hosted by the Department of Fish and Wildlife at Oregon State University, Mark Tompkins, co-founder of FlowWest, gave a talk on the evolution of quantifying habitat over time and proposed a modernized approach to quantifying habitat using remote sensing data. Remote sensing data allows for regular updates to habitat data, making it easier to track changes to the landscape and adjust restoration strategies accordingly.
Ten Earth Day Activities that are Family-Friendly
As Earth Day approaches, it's important to remember the importance of protecting our planet's precious resources, particularly in areas facing unique challenges. California, for example, is home to a vast array of aquatic ecosystems, but it also faces challenges such as drought and water pollution. With this in mind, here's a list of 10 Earth Day activities that families can do to help protect California's water resources. From reducing water usage to supporting local conservation efforts, these activities are a great way to celebrate Earth Day while also making a positive impact on the environment.
ARTICLE: Parched California Misses a Chance to Store More Rain Underground
"In the Sonoma County wine region, north of San Francisco, a group of vineyards and local agencies is working with the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians on a multimillion-dollar system of pumps and pipes that would grab large gulps of the Russian River during storms and distribute it to growers’ fields. The challenge, said Philip Bachand, an engineer on the project, will be persuading California water officials, who he said are overly concerned that allowing people to reroute floodwater will deprive others downstream."
Quantifying Every Grain of Rice to Save Salmon
Have you ever looked at a field of rice and thought “this can feed endangered fish”? Jacob Montgomery, Central Valley Project Manager at CalTrout, has for some time now. Jacob and his team at CalTrout have compiled an impressive dataset of the benefits of rice field and floodplain food production to baby salmon. FlowWest has been working on a variety of projects that are beginning to utilize this new data to support better decision-making for salmon restoration. Several members of the FlowWest team recently joined Jacob to see a variety of sites where food production for baby salmon is already happening or could happen in the future.
Go With the Flow - Hunter Herrera
Hunter Herrera is one of FlowWest’s software developers, based in Santa Monica. Having grown up in Vermont, Hunter has seen the duality of American landscapes and now cherishes his time back on the west coast. You can find Hunter on the Pier with friends, or at a trendy new food pop-up in town. One of his passions is taking advantage of Southern California weather by visiting natural landscapes in his area, bicycling, and hiking. Read more about some current projects and career path below.
Kelsey Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project Featured in Lake County News
Ironically, the Kelsey Creek Fish Passage Structure acts as a barrier to native fish, including the Clear Lake Hitch. The Clear Lake hitch, or Chi, as named by the Xa-Ben-Na-Po Band of Pomo Indians and other local indigenous tribes, are a culturally and biologically important species found only in Clear Lake and its tributaries. In addition to the physical barrier, the water velocity in Kelsey Creek is unnaturally high due historic gravel mining and the channelization of the creek. Barriers to spawning habitat contribute to the perilous conditions for the Chi, who are at the brink of extinction.
FlowWest Project is One of First in State to Receive Innovative CEQA Exemption for Habitat Restoration
The Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects will speed up project timelines and cut down on paperwork to implement much-needed restoration across California.
OAKLAND, CA, December 28, 2022. The Basso/La Grange Reach Floodplain and Spawning Habitat Restoration Project is one of the first in California, and the first in Stanislaus County, to qualify as statutorily exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects (SERP). The SERP is just one of the many innovative tools developed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) as part of its “Cutting the Green Tape” Initiative. The statutory exemption is solely for projects that "conserve, restore, protect, or enhance, and assist in the recovery of California fish and wildlife, and habitat upon which they depend or that restore or provide habitat for California native fish and wildlife". The project is one of only 12 projects that have been determined to be exempt under the SERP, and underwent a rigorous review process. FlowWest crafted the exemption documents and worked closely with CDFW to ensure the submittal materials included everything the CDFW Director needed to find the project statutorily exempt. FlowWest is providing the full suite of planning and floodplain design services for the project.
Happy Holidays from FlowWest!
Happy holidays, solstice, and new year to everyone. We are grateful to our clients, employees, and partners for the hard work that gets put in every day. Here's to a great 2023 full of river restoration!
Go With the Flow: Ashley Vizek
For Ashley, the environment was always in her life. She spent her youth exploring forests and listening to singing insects in the Chicago suburbs. Today, she is part of the FlowWest Data Team that is developing an app to provide up to date monitoring data for Spring Run Chinook Salmon, a threatened species native to the Central Valley. As our Senior Data Analyst, Ashley manages a team of data scientists that put their hard work to the test every day building out programs in tandem with our development team. Based in Oakland, Ashley is an avid skier and spends her winters in Utah with her family doing all sorts of winter activities. Read more about her current projects and career path below.
Great Valley Grasslands State Park Groundbreaking Ceremony Celebrates Habitat Revitalization in Central Valley
Together with FlowWest, CA State Parks and an array of partners have advanced this important project that will create over 200 acres of new habitat for baby salmon from concept to construction. FlowWest has been the lead consultant on every phase of the project, from grant writing, to a feasibility study, to design and permitting, and construction monitoring.
2022 Sustainable Gift Guide
With the holidays in full swing, many of us are now focused on holiday celebrations. FlowWest partners with local and national non-profits to help aid their missions and would like to use our platform to amplify the work they do this holiday season. The list below can help kick-start your holiday giving in a way that promotes sustainability, helps local organizations, and can get you some cool gifts for your community. Whether it’s helping restore wild fish populations, or supporting marginalized communities in the environmental space, this gift guide aims to amplify the work these organizations do.
