Action IV.5 Formation of Delta Operations for Salmon and Sturgeon (DOSS) Technical Working Group

Objective: Create a technical advisory team that will provide recommendations to WOMT and NMFS on measures to reduce adverse effects of Delta operations of the CVP and SWP to salmonids and green sturgeon and will coordinate the work of the other technical teams.

Action: The DOSS group will be comprised of biologists, hydrologists, and other staff with relevant expertise from Reclamation, DWR, CDFG, USFWS, and NMFS. Invitations to EPA, USGS, and Regional Water Quality Board biologists will be extended to provide expertise on issues pertinent to Delta water quality, hydrology and environmental parameters. By October 1, 2009, Reclamation shall, jointly with NMFS, convene the DOSS working group. The working group will have biweekly phone conferences, or more frequently if necessary for real-time operations, and meet at least quarterly to discuss and review information related to project operations and fisheries issues. Either Reclamation or NMFS may call for a special meeting of the DOSS group if they deem it necessary.

The team will:

1. provide recommendations for real-time management of operations to WOMT and NMFS, consistent with implementation procedures provided in this RPA;
2. review annually project operations in the Delta and the collected data from the different ongoing monitoring programs;
3. track the implementation of Actions IV.1 through IV.4;
4. evaluate the effectiveness of Actions IV.1 through IV.4 in reducing mortality or impairment of essential behaviors of listed species in the Delta;
5. oversee implementation of the acoustic tag experiment for San Joaquin fish provided for in Action IV.2.2;
6. coordinate with the SWG to maximize benefits to all listed species; and
7. coordinate with the other technical teams identified in this RPA to ensure consistent implementation of the RPA.

The DOSS team shall provide annual written reports to Reclamation, DWR, and NMFS, including a summary of major actions taken during the year to implement Action Suite IV of this RPA, an evaluation of their effectiveness, and recommendations for future actions. At the technical staff level, the working group will coordinate with the DAT, the SWG, and other workgroups to ensure coherent and consistent implementation of actions in the Delta. Every five years, the DOSS working group will produce a summary report of the previous five years of operations, actions taken, and the effectiveness of those actions in achieving the objectives of the Delta actions in this RPA. Included in this report will be recommendations for adaptive management changes consistent with the objectives of this RPA. The report will be provided to NMFS, Reclamation, DWR, CDFG and USFWS.

The DOSS group shall also provide a coordinating function for the other technical working groups, to assure that relevant information from all technical groups is considered in actions to implement this RPA.

Rationale: This RPA contains a series of measures to minimize adverse effects of project operations in the Delta. An interagency technical team is necessary to track implementation of these measures, recommend actions within the boundaries of the implementation procedures in this document, and to build expertise over time to recommend changes to Delta operations. Any significant changes to Operations will trigger re-initiation of this opinion.

Delta Operations for Salmonids and Sturgeon Working Group Notes, Briefing Statements and Recommendations (These are PDF files. They range from 10 to 900 KB.) 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 October 21 Final  Notes January 5 Final Notes January 4 Final Notes January 3 Final Notes January 2 Final Notes October 26 NMFS Determination January 12 Final Notes January 4 Final Notes January 10 Final Notes January 8 Final Notes October 28 Final Notes January 19 Final Notes January 11 Final Notes January 17 Final Notes January 15 Final Notes November 3 Final Notes January 26 Final Notes January 18 Final Notes January 24 Final Notes January 23 Final Notes November 10 Final Notes February 2 Final Notes January 25 Final Notes January 31 Final Notes January 29 Final Notes November 17 Final Notes February 9 Final Notes January 25 NMFS Determination February 14 Final Notes February 5 Final Notes  November 24 Final Notes February 16 Final Notes February 1 Final Notes February 22 Final Notes February13 Final Notes December 1 Final Notes February 18 Final Notes February 8 Final Notes February 28 Final Notes March 5 Final Notes with 3 attachments December 3 Final Notes February 19 NMFS Determination February 15 Final Notes March 6 Final Notes March 12 Final Notes  December 8 Final Notes February 23 Final Notes February 22 Final Notes March 9 Special Call Final Notes March 19 Final Notes with attachments December 15 Final Notes March 2 Final Notes February 24 NMFS Determination March 13 Final Notes  March 26 Final Notes December 22 Final Notes March 9 Final Notes February 25 Final Notes March 20 Final Notes April 3 Final Notes December 29 Final Notes March 11 Final Notes March 1 Final Notes March 28 NMFS Determination April 9 Final Notes   March 12 NMFS Determination March 1 NMFS Determination March 27 Final Notes April 16 Final Notes with attachment   March 16 Final Notes March 8 Final Notes April 3 Final Notes With Supplemental Table and PTM Data April 23 Final Notes   March 23 Final Notes March 11 Final Notes April 4 NMFS Determination for Operations per Joint Stipulation During April 8-14 April 30 Final Notes   March 29 NMFS Determination March 15 Final Notes April 12 NMFS Determination May 7 Final Notes   March 30 Final Notes March 15 NMFS Determination April 10 Final Notes With Attachments May 14 Final Notes   April 6 Final Notes March 22 Final Notes April 17 Final Notes With Attachments     April 20 Final Notes March 22 NMFS Determination April 24 Final Notes     April 27 Final Notes March 29 Final Notes April 27 NMFS Determination Letter     May 4 Final Notes March 29 NMFS Determination May 1 Final Notes     May 13 NMFS Determination April 5 Final Notes May 4 NMFS Determination     May 11 Final Notes April 12 Final Notes May 8 Final Notes     May 18 Final Notes April 19 Final Notes May 11 Cover Letter - NMFS Determination      May 25 Final Notes April 26 Final Notes May 15 Final Notes     June 1 Final Notes May 3 Final Notes May 22 Final Notes With Attachments     June 8 Final Notes May 10 Final Notes June 5 Final Notes     June 22 Final Notes May 17 Final Notes June 12 Final Notes     2010 DOSS Annual Report May 24 Final Notes  Annual Report Final     September 14 Final Notes May 31 Final Notes Annual Report Appendices     September 21 Final Notes May 31 NMFS Determination October 23 Final Notes     October 5 Final Notes June 7 Final Notes October 30 Final Notes     October 12 Final Notes June 7 NMFS Determination November 6 Final Notes     November 23 Final Notes June 14 Final Notes November 13 Final Notes     November 30 Final Notes June 21 Final Notes and GS Rationale November 20 Final Notes     December 7 Final Notes September 27 Final Notes November 27 Final Notes     December 14  Final Notes October 11 Final Notes December 4 Final Notes     December 21 Final Notes October 18 Final Notes December 11 Final Notes     December 28 Final Notes October 20 Notes Subgroup Advice - Chipps Sampling December 18 Final Notes     December 28 NMFS Determination for OMR October 25 Final Notes December 26 Final Notes       2011 DOSS Annual Report         November 1 Final Notes         November 15 Final Notes         November 22 Final Notes         November 29 Final Notes         December 6 Final Notes         December 13 Final Notes         December 20 Final Notes