Brian Cluer, Fluvial Geomorphologist (Coordinator)

Email: Brian.Cluer@noaa.gov
Phone: 707-575-6061

Brian Cluer has worked in the Habitat Conservation Division of the National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Region since 2000. Brian has worked on sediment related issues over the entire Southwest Region and in the Northwest Region too.  Major accomplishments include:

1. authoring the Sediment Removal Guidelines (swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/hcd/policies/April19-2004.pdf) for salmonids in CA streams, which was incorporated into the Oregon interagency sediment removal guidelines (http://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/ExternalAffairs/Topics/Documents/GravelMiningSedimentRemovalFromActiveStreamChannels.pdf,
2. expert witness testimony on Klamath River hydropower relicensing in the first ever Trial Type Hearing, in which the resources agencies prevailed, (http://www.fws.gov/yreka/P2082/20060927/9Klamath_DNO_Exhibit List.pdf),
3. co-development of new sediment transport software (DREAM) to assist in dam removal decision making (eps.berkeley.edu/~bill/papers/Cui_et_al_Part_1_Text_n_Figures_128.pdf, and eps.berkeley.edu/~bill/papers/Cui_et_al_Part_2_Text_n_Figures_129.pdf),
4. a field investigation of the effects of forestry and vineyard development on a small salmon stream with the NOAA Office For Law Enforcement, which led to successful settlement.

Brian’s current focus is designing, in coordination of other sediment scientists, studies to support dam removal decisions.  Major projects include the four Klamath River dams, and the San Clemente Dam on Carmel River.  These efforts build on his participation in past dam removal projects such as the Matilija Dam in the Ventura River watershed, and the Elwha River dams on Washington’s Olympic Penninsula.  A continued focus is the implementation of the Sediment Removal Guidelines, as it pertains to instream gravel mining.  A major project includes the Austin Creek habitat enhancement project using gravel mining as an agent for expediting geomorphic forms and habitat (http://www.calsalmon.org/pdf/SRF-newsletter-0104.pdf).

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02/25/09