1. Collette Zemitis
City of Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power
300 Mandich Street
Bishop, CA 93514
(760) 873-2282
collette.zemitis@ladwp.com
EDUCATION
Master of Science, Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, University of California,
Davis, June 1993. Thesis: Dissolution Kinetics of Three Beryllate Minerals. Advisor:
Dr. William H. Casey (Department of Land, Air and Water Resources).
Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, June 1989.
EXPERIENCE
Watershed Resources Specialist, Watershed Resources Group, Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power, Bishop, CA.
Owens Lake
Base of Mountain gauging stations
Conducted biological surveys, coordinated with LADWP engineers and real estate
staff. Obtained permits from landowners (USFS, BLM) to conduct work on their
property. Obtained CDFW 1600 permit and applied for permit from US Army Corps of
Engineers.
Spring Monitoring
Trained staff in conducting quarterly monitoring. Oversaw biological surveys for spring
infrastructure upgrade. Obtained 1600 permit from State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.
Oversaw ground nesting bird surveys before construction and submitted post-
construction photos to the State DFW.
Phase 9/10
Oversaw biological surveys conducted by staff. Wrote biological report that was
incorporated into Project EIR. Submitted 1600 application to State Dept. of Fish and
Wildlife.
Master Project
Attend LADWP meetings and represent biological interests in the project. Attend
Habitat Work Group meetings. Obtained vegetation, bird and water quality monitoring
data for the Habitat Suitability Model. Attended and chaired some sub-group meetings
of the Public Access and Recreation Workgroup.
Biological Monitoring
Conduct bird surveys up to 7x per year. Identify bird species and record behavior.
Collect dead birds for ecotoxicity monitoring. Review annual ecotoxicity reports.

2. Weed Monitoring
Developed Excel spreadsheets to track weed observations on Owens Lake and weed
treatment. Write weed control chapter in annual Owens Lake report.
Lower Owens River Project
• Conducted annual rapid ecological assessment of Lower Owens River
Project noting riparian vegetation recruitment, bird and wildlife observations
and human impacts in off-river wetlands and Owens River delta (2011 to
2013).
Inyo/LA Agreement and 1997 MOU
• Range trend and utilization transects (summer 2011).
• Rare plant surveys (summer 2011).
• Baker Creek willow planting and monitoring (2011).
Inyo County Water Department Associated Monitoring
• Line point (2009-2013).
• Greenhouse planting (2009-2013).
• Leadperson for planting at Laws and Big Pine revegetation areas. Directed
approximately twenty maintenance control helpers with planting (May 2012
and May 2013).
Biological Monitoring and Surveys
• Served as biological monitor for geotechnical investigations at North Haiwee
as required by Dept. of Fish and Game Incidental Take Permit. Gave Worker
Environmental Awareness training (desert tortoise and Mohave ground
squirrel) to workers at the site (spring/summer 2012). Served as biological
monitor at Rose Valley Los Angeles Aqueduct Old Top removal project (April
2013).
• Assisted with fish monitoring in Rush Creek, a tributary to Mono Lake
(September 2012).
• Special status plant Oryctes nevadensis surveys for LADWP proposed Solar
Park in southern Owens Valley (spring 2010).
Associate Environmental Planner, Eastern Sierra Environmental Branch, California
Dept. of Transportation, Bishop, CA. Environmental planner for the Branch. Prepared
environmental documents for Caltrans projects. For Negative Declarations, this
included discussing all environmental impact areas. Coordinated biology and cultural
resources and other specialist reports. Wrote biology reports including Natural
Environment Study for Sonora Junction Wildlife Passage project. Performed
environmental scoping for projects. Assisted in obtaining environmental permits,
primarily U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 permits, Lahontan Regional Water Quality
Control Board 401 permits and Department of Fish and Game Streambed Alteration
Agreements (March 2005 to March 2009).

3. Staff Environmental Scientist, North Delta Planning Branch, Dept. of Water Resources,
Sac., CA. Chief scientist for the North Delta Flood Control and Ecosystem Restoration
Project in the Cosumnes-Mokelumne area of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Developed restoration concepts, prepared environmental documentation and acquired
permits for the project. Worked with UC Davis researchers to address scientific
uncertainties such as mercury methylation and used results of hydraulic modeling to
predict restoration results. Made presentations to technical groups and the public.
(January 2002 to March 2005).
Staff Environmental Scientist, Environmental Services Office, Dept. of Water
Resources, Sac., CA. Prepared monitoring plan for wetland restoration project in the
Delta. Made technical presentations. Wrote environmental documents for water
transfers. Wrote water quality compliance report for the Delta. (October 1997 through
December 2001).
Environmental Scientist, Water Quality Assessment Branch, Dept. of Water Resources,
Sac., CA. Wrote sampling plans, coordinated sampling and analyzed environmental
data for dredging projects in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Maintained and made
enhancements to a database in ACCESS to generate field sheets, store field data,
accept laboratory data and generate quality control and data reports (February 1994 to
October 1997).
Environmental Scientist, Freshwater Standards Unit, State Water Resources Control
Board, Sacramento, CA. Reviewed environmental documents. Responded to inquiries
about the water quality objectives in the Inland Surface Waters Plan, especially with
regard to metals (July 1993 to February 1994).
Research Assistant, Land, Air & Water Resources Dept., U.C. Davis. Conducted
mineral dissolution experiments, inductively-coupled plasma spectrophotometer (ICP)
analyses, and potentiometric titrations. Constructed mineral stability diagrams and
solved other aqueous geochemistry problems (September 1991 to June 1993).
Laboratory Technician, Pesticide Metabolism Section, ICI Agricultural Products,
Richmond, CA. Researched the chemical degradation of a radio-labeled
organophosphate insecticide in aerated soil chambers (June 1991 to September 1991).
Environmental Laboratory Assistant, Nachtmann Analytical Lab., Davis, CA. Analyzed
water, soil, and oil samples for pesticide and metal content, corrosiveness, ignitability
and other parameters (October 1990 to February 1991).
Agricultural Products Sales Assistant, ICI Agricultural Products, San Joaquin Valley,
CA. Advised Pest Control Advisers and growers on chemical use and safety.
Conducted test plots comparing different agricultural chemicals (April 1990 to
September 1990).
Project Technician and Experimental Sampler, Hunt-Wesson, Davis, CA. Conducted
lab and field experiments for tomato processing plants in California and Ontario,

4. Canada (June 1989 to October 1989).
LADWP Lists
Environmental Supervisor
Water Biologist

5. AWARDS
2001. DWR Certificate of Appreciation presented to Collette Zemitis as a member of
DWR’s Environmental Water Account Team.
2000. DWR Unit Citation presented to Collette Zemitis as a member of the Prospect
Island Ecosystem Restoration Project Team.
1998. DWR Meritorious Service Award presented to Collette Zemitis.
MAJOR PRESENTATIONS
• 2015 April. Owens Lake Bird Festival. “Owens Lake Master Project.” Lone
Pine.
• 2015 April. Alabama Hills Day. “Owens Lake Master Project.” Lone Pine.
• 2007 February. Caltrans Road Ecology Meeting. “Sonora Junction Wildlife
Passage Project.” Davis.
• 2003. UC Davis Hydrologic Sciences Graduate Group Seminar.
UC Davis Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry Graduate Group Seminar.
• 1999 and 2001. DWR Environmental Specialist Workshop, Fallen Leaf Lake.
PUBLICATIONS
Westrich, H.R., R. Cygan, W.H. Casey, C. Zemitis and G. Arnold. November 1993.
The Dissolution Kinetics of Mixed-Cation Orthosilicate Minerals. American Journal of
Science 293: 869-893.
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Biological Reports
• July 2014. Owens Lake Base of Mountains Olancha Creek Measuring Station
• June 2014. Shepherd and Bairs Creeks Emergency Repair Biological Report
• 2013 and 2014. Owens Lake Supplemental Control Requirements
• July 2013. Owens Lake Groundwater Development Plan Monitoring Wells
• March 2011. Division Creek Biological Report
• Fall 2009. Draft Lower Owens River Project Rapid Assessment Survey Report
California Department of Transportation District 9 Negative Declarations
• March 2008. Sonora Junction Wildlife Passage
• November 2007. Wilson Creek Culvert Improvement
• August 2007. June Lake Shoulder Widening Project
• April 2007. Lee Vining Avalanche Control System

6. California Department of Water Resources Water Quality Reports
• August 1998. 1995 Compliance Water Quality Monitoring Report for the State
Water Project.
• 1998. 1996 Annual Report of the Municipal Water Quality Investigations
Program. Chapter 5. Organic Carbon and Disinfection By-products Precursors
from Delta Island Soils and Chapter 11. Delta Monitoring.
RELEVANT COURSES
Water
Fluvial Geomorphology (White Mountain Research Station, Dr. Matt Kondolf, UC
Berkeley, 10/05); Hydrology Basics (DWR, 10/01); Management of Water in California
(DWR, 6/01); Riparian Proper Functioning Condition Assessment and Monitoring
(Sherman Swanson, Bishop, Caltrans, 11/08); Water Education Foundation Bay-Delta
Tour (6/02)
Biology
CDFW California Natural Diversity Database (1/22/14); CALFED Science Conference
(10/99); Desert Tortoise Council Intro to Desert Tortoises and Field Techniques (11/4-
5/13); Desert Tortoise (ESA, LADWP Mojave Office, 10/10/13); DWR Environmental
Specialists Workshops (9/94-04); Interagency Ecological Program Workshop (DWR,
Asilomar, 2/01); Jepson Herbarium Late Flowering Plants White Mts. (10/12); Native
Fish Training (CDFW, Steve Parmenter, 10/13); Sierra Nevada Plants (SNARL, 6/07);
Society for Ecological Restoration Conference (9/99); State of the Estuary Conference
(3/99); Snowy Plover Awareness Training (3/09-14); Quagga Mussel Training (10-13)
Computer
Beg.,Intermediate and Advanced ACCESS (LADWP, 8/2012); Inyo National Forest GIS
Training (Beg and Int. 6-day, 1/11); Introduction to GIS (LADWP); Relational Database
Design (12/96)
Environmental Law/Regulations
CEQA: A Step by Step Approach (DWR, J&S, 01); CEQA Update (Caltrans, 3/05),
Cumulative and Growth Indirect Impacts (Caltrans, 10); Employee Environmental
Liability (10/97); Endangered Species Act (LADWP, 3/11); Endangered Species
Protection and Regulation (UCD Extension, DWR, 2/2/01); NEPA/CEQA Workshop
(Assoc. of Env. Professionals Conference, Mammoth Lakes, 9/26-27,13); Successful
CEQA and NEPA Compliance (UCD Extension, DWR, 3/25-27, 03); Wetlands and
Their Regulation (3/99), CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife California Natural Diversity
Database and BIOS training (1/2013).
Hazardous Waste/Quality Assurance/Quality Control/Water Quality
40-Hour OSHA HAZWOPER (DWR Site Assessment Program); 2 8-Hr. Annual
Refreshers(DWR Site Assessment Program); Data Evaluation Methods (DWR,97);
Introduction to QA/QC (DWR, 4/97); Construction Site BMPs (Caltrans,10); Storm
Water Pollution Prevention (DWR, 5/96)

7. Safety
Biological Hazards (Jeff Nordin 6/2014); Construction Safety (Caltrans 08); Disaster
Service Worker Training (LADWP, 3/13); Injury and Illness Prevention Program
(LADWP, 7/11); Lockout/Tagout Program (LADWP,13); Workplace Violence
Prevention (LADWP)
Management
Basic Budget (DWR, 1/97); Effective Presentations (DWR, 10/97); Interpersonal Styles
Seminar (LADWP, Bishop 2/26/14); Leadperson Workshop (DWR, 5/97), Workplace
Diversity (LADWP, 5/19/15)