Delta Science Program launches modeling collaboratory and posts peer review of Healthy Rivers plan

Lisa Marie Windham Myers, the Delta Lead Scientist, told the Board July 16 that the Delta Science Program has begun a Delta Modeling Collaboratory to support collaborative modeling, synthesis and decision‑support tools and that the program completed an independent peer review of the Department of Water Resources’ draft Healthy Rivers and Landscapes (HRL) science plan. "The reviewers found [the HRL plan] comprehensive and carefully conceived," Windham Myers said, noting the review is posted on the Delta Stewardship Council’s website.

Why this matters: the collaboratory and peer review aim to improve the scientific basis for flow and non‑flow actions proposed for the Delta and its tributaries. Windham Myers said the collaboratory will offer shared resources — researcher profiles, a data library, modeling inventories, cloud computing and facilitation support — to speed synthesis and make modeling work accessible to managers.

Collaboratory priorities and products: the program selected three initial, parallel modeling/synthesis projects: cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom prediction (CyanoHABs), salinity intrusion and management, and tidal wetlands and food‑web interactions tied to restoration. Phase‑1 profiles will summarize methods, scales and resource needs; a synthesis white paper this fall will prioritize options for decision‑support tools. Windham Myers said the effort is designed to build on ongoing monitoring and research such as NOAA‑ and UC‑funded projects.

HRL peer review summary: the independent review team commended the plan’s scope but suggested stronger linkage of hypotheses to monitoring design, clearer articulation of expected effect sizes, more rigorous treatment of covariates and confounding factors, and more specificity about adaptive‑management decision criteria. Reviewers recommended power analyses and modeling to define the size of measurable effects and trade‑offs for cost‑effective monitoring.

Research awards and fellowships: Windham Myers said the Delta Science Program funded eight research awards and six early‑career Delta Science Fellowships in 2025, supporting about 64 researchers across 16 teams, and totaling approximately $8.8 million in related awards and fellow support.

The Board received the update. Windham Myers said the Independent Science Board will host a climate symposium in September and that three new independent science board members will be proposed for council approval next week.

Speakers relevant to this article - Lisa Marie Windham Myers, Delta Lead Scientist, Delta Stewardship Council / Delta Science Program (government)

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