Freshwater flows in the San Francisco Bay/Delta: Observations and reflections on the interactions of hydrodynamics, ecology, engineering and policy

Professor Stephen Monismith has been a leader in developing a rigorous physically-based understanding of the water environment with a focus on evaluating the transport of dissolved and particulate materials, and aquatic organisms, in freshwater, estuarine, and marine environments. He has employed field measurements, laboratory experiments, and modeling studies to quantify the transport and mixing processes at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales needed to understand how aquatic organisms exist within these dynamic environments. His scale-based view of coral reefs has provided the logical basis for much recent coral reef hydrodynamic research. One example of the high impact of his work is the understanding he has elucidated of the physical aspects of the complex coral reef environment. This is a pressing need given the environmental stresses on coral reefs world-wide. In addition, related work on forecasting the response of salinity to freshwater flows guides policy decisions on flow management and flow diversions while sustaining ecosystem health in the San Francisco Bay-Delta.