David Gaeuman, Ph.D., Senior Geomorphologist, Yurok Tribe, Design and Technical Services Program

David Gaeuman joined the Yurok Tribe Fisheries Department in 2019 after 13 years as a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation employee in the Weaverville TRRP office. Prior to arriving in Weaverville in 2006, he spent 3 years conducting sediment transport research in the Missouri River with the U.S. Geological Survey and worked in stream monitoring and restoration throughout the mountain west while earning a master’s degree in stream geomorphology at the University of Montana and a Ph.D. from Utah State University.

2024 Science Symposium Presentation

A decade of tracking coarse sediment augmentations: where has all the gravel gone?

Day 3 of the Trinity River Restoration Program Science Symposium covered Physical Channel Form. Listen in as David Gaeuman, Ph.D., Senior Geomorphologist, Yurok Tribe, Design and Technical Services Program presents, “A decade of tracking coarse sediment augmentations: where has all the gravel gone?”

Scott McBain, Fluvial Geomorphologist, McBain & Associates/Applied River Sciences, Consultant to Hoopa Valley Tribe Fisheries Department

Scott McBain is a fluvial geomorphologist at McBain Associates and has been a consultant for the Hoopa Valley Tribe Fisheries Department since 1989. He was one of many authors of the Trinity River Flow Evaluation Study, with his focus on the high flow and sediment management components. His discussion will focus on the evolution of the coarse sediment management strategy described in the Flow Study and ROD, and potential future coarse sediment management strategy considerations.

2024 Science Symposium Presentation

Background of sediment management as recommended in the Trinity River Flow Evaluation Study, and considerations for future coarse sediment management.

Day 3 of the Trinity River Restoration Program Science Symposium covered Physical Channel Form. Listen in as Scott McBain, Fluvial Geomorphologist, McBain & Associates/Applied River Sciences, Consultant to Hoopa Valley Tribe Fisheries Department gives his presentation titled, “Background of sediment management as recommended in the Trinity River Flow Evaluation Study, and considerations for future coarse sediment management.“

James Lee, M.S., Implementation Branch Chief, Trinity River Restoration Program

James Lee is the Implementation Branch Chief at TRRP and is employed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. His current role focuses on stream habitat restoration projects on a dam-regulated river, with a special emphasis on increasing native runs of Pacific salmon. James has worked for the program since 2012 as the staff Riparian Ecologist (employed by the Hoopa Valley Tribe) and then Science Coordinator.

Prior to his time at TRRP, he worked at an environmental consulting company, served the public as a wildlife biologist at a state natural resource trustee agency, and studied the ecology of several native desert fish species from a university in the southwestern U.S. He earned a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from the University of California, Davis, and a M.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Georgia.

2024 Science Symposium Presentation

Day 3 of the Trinity River Restoration Program Science Symposium covered Physical Channel Form. Listen in as James Lee, M.S., Implementation Branch Chief, Trinity River Restoration Program gives his presentation titled,  “Implications of variable summer baseflows to riparian vegetation in the Trinity River riparian corridor.“

Conor Shea, Ph.D., P.E., Civil Engineer: Hydraulics and Geomorphology, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arcata

Conor Shea specializes in the application of fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, and hydraulic analysis to develop aquatic habitat restoration projects. He has worked for government agencies, private consulting firms, and in academic settings. He provides technical assistance to a variety of partners that includes local and state government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private landowners. His work includes all phases of restoration project development from site assessment, monitoring, and concept development to preparing full construction plans and supervising construction.

Conor earned a B.S. in Forest Engineering and M.S. in Water Resources Engineering from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and a Ph.D. in Fluvial Geomorphology from the Johns Hopkins University. Conor has worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 2003.

2024 Science Symposium Presentation

Evolving Paradigms of Trinity River Channel Form

Day 3 of the Trinity River Restoration Program Science Symposium covered Physical Channel Form. Listen in as Conor Shea, Ph.D., P.E., Civil Engineer in Hydraulics and Geomorphology for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arcata gives his presentation titled, “Evolving Paradigms of Trinity River Channel Form”

Nate Mantua, Ph.D., Research Scientist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Marine Fisheries Science Center

Nate Mantua is a climate scientist with research focused on climate dynamics, climate impacts on natural resources, and the use of climate information in resource management. Much of his work has focused on climate, marine life, and fisheries in the North Pacific Ocean and western North America, including understanding climate impacts on Pacific salmon ecology and salmon fisheries. Nate is a former Associate Professor at the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences (2006-2012) and founding member and co-director of the Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington (1995-2012).

2024 Science Symposium Presentation

Day one of the Trinity River Restoration Program Science Symposium covered Fish Populations. Listen in as Nate Mantua, Ph.D., Research Scientist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Marine Fisheries Science Center presents, “Monitoring to Science to Management: science-informed decision making to combat an aquatic parasite.“

Nicholas A. Som, Ph.D, Unit Leader, U.S. Geological Survey California Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, CalPoly-Humboldt

Nicholas joined the U.S. Geological Survey California Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in November of 2023, as the Unit Leader. Additionally, Nicholas teaches graduate courses on statistical methods common to fish and wildlife projects, such generalized linear models, applied Bayesian modeling at the Department of Fisheries Biology at California Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

Nicholas’ educational history includes an undergraduate mathematics degree from Regis University, a master’s degree in statistics from Washington State University, and he received his Ph.D. from Oregon State University where he studied time-series and spatial statistics for data originating from stream and river networks. Prior to joining the CRU, Nicholas was a statistician and program lead for the fish and aquatic conservation program at the Arcata US Fish and Wildlife office.

Nicholas’ research focuses on answering ecological questions with quantitative tools aimed to inform resource management decision makers. His main interests include water management and the ecology of pacific salmon, and his work includes both methods development and applied science projects. His applied work has ranged from the Columbia to Sacramento Rivers, but with most attention on the Klamath Basin. He frequently works on models for aquatic habitat, population dynamics, and disease dynamics.

2024 Science Symposium Presentation

Day one of the Trinity River Restoration Program Science Symposium covered Fish Populations. Listen in as Nicholas A. Som, Ph.D, Unit Leader, U.S. Geological Survey California Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, CalPoly-Humboldt presents, “Monitoring to Science to Management: science-informed decision making to combat an aquatic parasite.“

Chad Martel, Hoopa Valley Tribe Fisheries Department

Chad obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Cal Poly Humboldt where he focused on marine and estuarine fish. Currently, he works with the Hoopa Valley Tribal Fisheries Department as a Habitat Biologist. His focus with Hoopa has been on smaller scale restoration projects, juvenile outmigrant monitoring both on and off the reservation, and habitat monitoring projects.

2024 Science Symposium Presentation

Day one of the Trinity River Restoration Program Science Symposium covered Fish Populations. Listen in as Chad Martel, Hoopa Valley Tribe Fisheries Department presents, “Trinity River outmigrant survival study.”

Bill Pinnix, Supervisory Fish Biologist – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Arcata

Bill has been studying fish and their habitats in the Humboldt Bay area since 1993. His early career pursuits included marine fish ecology and the importance of marine zooplankton to fish populations. Bill graduated from Humboldt State University in 1995, and moved to Seattle to work on his Master’s degree at the University of Washington (UW) School of Fisheries.

At UW Bill worked with the Joint Institute for the Study of Atmosphere and Ocean / Pacific Northwest Climate Impacts Group to understand climatic forcing mechanisms of the nearshore marine environment and the resulting impacts to marine survival of coho salmon to improve Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s coho salmon harvest forecast model. Following completion of his Master of Science degree from UW, Bill moved to Newport Oregon to work as a faculty research assistant to research climate forcing mechanisms on early life history of sablefish, looking closely at otoliths to try and find a ‘climate signal’. Bill served a brief stint with the National Marine Fisheries Service working with zooplankton before moving back to Eureka to work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in late 2001. Bill’s duties with The Service began with monitoring juvenile fishes, involved work with rotary screw traps and acoustic and radio telemetry, and currently serves as the lead of the Monitoring and Assessment division of the Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program at the Arcata Fish and Wildlife Service. Bill serves on multiple technical advisory committees and is especially proud of his work with the Pacific Marine and Estuarine Partnership. Bill loves to be outdoors with his wife Jenny and puppies Frankie and Beans, and when conditions allow can be found recreating on or in the ocean.

2024 Science Symposium Presentation

Day one of the Trinity River Restoration Program Science Symposium covered Fish Populations. Listen in as Bill Pinnix, Supervisory Fish Biologist – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Arcata presents, “Status and trends of juvenile and adult Chinook salmon in the Trinity River.”

Andrew J. Paul, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Department of Biological Services – University of Calgary, Canada

Dr. Andrew Paul has been working as an aquatic ecologist in western Canada for 35 years. His work has encompassed the fields of conservation biology, community restoration, non-native species invasions, population ecology and river ecology. Andrew uses quantitative methods to aid in understanding ecological patterns or processes and has worked with the Theoretical Population Dynamics Group (University of Amsterdam) and the Fisheries Centre (University of British Columbia). Andrew spent 15 years with Alberta Fish and Wildlife studying environmental flows and now works with Alberta’s Chief Scientist to support scientific excellence in government. Andrew is an adjunct professor at the University of Calgary (Dept. of Biological Sciences).

2024 Science Symposium Presentation

Day one of the Trinity River Restoration Program Science Symposium covered Fish Populations. Listen in as Andrew J. Paul, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Department of Biological Services – University of Calgary, Canada presents, “Importance of experimental design to understanding aquatic ecosystems: how good intentions and experience can be the enemy of knowledge.”

Kurt Fausch, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University

Kurt Fausch is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at Colorado State University, where he taught for 35 years. His research collaborations in stream fish ecology and conservation have taken him throughout Colorado and the West, and worldwide, including to Hokkaido in northern Japan. His experiences were chronicled in the PBS documentary RiverWebs, and the 2015 book For the Love of Rivers: A Scientist’s Journey which won the Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award. He has received lifetime achievement awards from the American Fisheries Society and the World Council of Fisheries Societies, and the Leopold Conservation Award from Fly Fishers International.

2024 Science Symposium Presentation

Day one of the Trinity River Restoration Program Science Symposium covered Fish Populations. Listen in as Kurt Fausch, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University presents “What is essential about rivers for fish and humans? Lessons on connectivity and connections from four decades.”

Presentation Coming Soon!