The Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program (CEERP) aims to implement an ecosystem-based approach to understand, conserve, and restore the Columbia River Estuary, using science-based strategies and adaptive management to achieve measurable outcomes.

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Expert Regional Technical Group

Providing independent expert guidance to aid restoration strategy

Meet the Expert Regional Technical Group

The Expert Regional Technical Group (ERTG) is a group of regional experts in restoration ecology, fish biology, geomorphology, wetlands ecology, and more that use the best available science to provide technical input on potential restoration actions in the Columbia River Estuary floodplain. The ERTG independently assesses potential benefits of proposed restoration projects for juvenile salmon, synthesizes new data and information to establish technical guidance, and helps identify and clarify technical uncertainties. This advisory group provides independent expert guidance to inform program strategy and project planning, design, and prioritization.

At the direction of CEERP managers, proposed CEERP restoration projects are evaluated by the ERTG. The group also conducts periodic revisits to evaluate restoration site development after construction. The potential benefits to juvenile salmon attributed to each project are based on its anticipated contributions to rearing/nursery functions and habitat capacity. The ERTG also evaluates a project’s importance at the landscape scale. Soon, the ERTG plans to develop evaluation criteria addressing long-term resilience—check out the recent ERTG work product on Climate Resiliency in the Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program.

The ERTG provides technical assessments and feedback on proposed restoration projects, helping ensure that programmatic expenditures are scientifically sound and effective.

The ERTG Review Process

Proposal

Restoration sponsors propose projects in the Columbia River Estuary for review by the ERTG. This includes filling out a project template and developing a presentation along with a site visit. This typically happens no earlier than at 30 percent design for an ERTG preliminary score. A subsequent template update and presentation occurs later in design and receives an ERTG final score.

Review

ERTG members score proposals based on expected project benefits to salmonids and improved habitat access and capacity. The ERTG also evaluates the project’s certainty of success and contributions at the landscape scale.

Implementation

Restoration activities are implemented in collaboration with restoration sponsors and funding agencies.

Monitoring

Restoration actions are monitored as part of the Action Effectiveness Monitoring and Research program under CEERP. Project sponsors also typically monitor their sites to assess whether ecological goals are realized.

Revisits

Once sites have evolved over a few years and monitoring data has been collected, some restoration projects are selected for ERTG revisits. The revisit process includes project sponsors providing a report on how the project is performing based on observations and empirical data. The sponsors are asked to reflect on the project and any lessons learned from implementation and outcomes. The ERTG then scores the site after construction to close the adaptive management loop for both project delivery and the ERTG scoring process.

This group has developed several documents to help guide restoration and research in the Columbia River Estuary, including several reports and documents of relevance:

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