San Francisco Bay

Counties Wresting Control: Local Responses to California's Statewide Water Market

University of Denver Water Law Review (UDWLR) | January 1st, 2003

Critical Assessment of the Delta Smelt Population in the San Francisco Estuary, California

University of California, Davis (UC Davis) | July 1st, 2005

Cruise Plan: 2016 Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) Bivalve Deployment Cruise

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | June 2nd, 2016

This report details plans associated with the biennial Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in the San Francisco Estuary (RMP) bivalve deployment cruise. This Cr

This report details plans associated with the biennial Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in the San Francisco Estuary (RMP) bivalve deployment cruise. This Cruise Plan was developed based upon the decisions of the RMP Technical Review Committee in 2002 to reduce the number of bivalve transplant stations from twelve to nine, utilize deployment cages rather than bags at all stations, and deploy only Mytilus californianus. These changes went into effect with the 2003 program and continued through the 2012 deployments. In 2014, the RMP Technical Review Committee reduced bivalve deployment transplant stations from 9 to 7 stations, 3 of which are back-up deployment sites. In addition, as instituted initially with the 2006 deployments, there is no mid-deployment maintenance cruise, as previous analyses showed no difference in bivalve growth or survival between maintained and unmaintained deployments. 

Cruise Plan: 2016 Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) Bivalve Retrieval Cruise

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | September 27th, 2016

This report details plans associated with the biennial Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) bivalve retrieval cruise. This Cruise Plan

This report details plans associated with the biennial Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) bivalve retrieval cruise. This Cruise Plan was developed based upon the decisions of the RMP Technical Review Committee in 2002 to reduce the number of bivalve transplant stations from twelve to nine, utilize deployment cages rather than bags at all stations, and deploy only Mytilus californianus. These changes went into effect with the 2003 program and continued through the 2012 deployments. In 2014, the RMP Technical Review Committee reduced bivalve deployment transplant stations from 9 to 7 stations, 3 of which are back-up deployment sites. In addition, as instituted initially with the 2006 deployments, there is no mid-deployment maintenance cruise, as previous analyses showed no difference in bivalve growth or survival between maintained and unmaintained deployments. 

Cruise Report 2016 Regional Monitoring Plan (RMP) Bivalve Deployment Cruise, June 28 – July 1, 2016

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | July 7th, 2016

This report describes activities associated with the 2016 bivalve deployment cruise of the Regional Monitoring Program (RMP). Measurement of contaminant concentrations in

This report describes activities associated with the 2016 bivalve deployment cruise of the Regional Monitoring Program (RMP). Measurement of contaminant concentrations in transplanted bivalves accumulated during dry season deployment is designed to provide long-term data on the bioaccumulation of select trace elements and trace organic compounds in tissue throughout the Estuary. 

Cruise Report: 2016 Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) Bivalve Retrieval Cruise, September 30 – October 13, 2016

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | November 3rd, 2016

This report describes activities associated with the 2016 bivalve retrieval cruise of the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in the San Francisco Estuary (RMP)

This report describes activities associated with the 2016 bivalve retrieval cruise of the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in the San Francisco Estuary (RMP). Measurement of contaminant concentrations in transplanted bivalves accumulated during dry season deployment is designed to provide long-term data on the bioaccumulation of trace elements and trace organic compounds in tissue throughout the Estuary. 

Cultivating effective utility-regulator relationships around innovation: Lessons from four case studies in the U.S. municipal wastewater sector

PLOS | August 26th, 2022

Regulation is critical for protecting public and environmental health but is often perceived as a barrier to innovation in the U.S. municipal wastewater sector. Before a

Regulation is critical for protecting public and environmental health but is often perceived as a barrier to innovation in the U.S. municipal wastewater sector. Before a wastewater utility can implement a new technology, it must navigate applicable regulatory processes and obtain necessary approvals, often including obtaining an updated wastewater discharge permit. While all regulatory processes involve interactions between regulators and regulated entities, innovative projects may require them to engage in new ways, heightening the importance of the relationships between them. We investigated four case studies to examine how regulatory relationships affect municipal wastewater utilities’ efforts to adopt new technologies. Through cross-case analysis, we identified five interconnected characteristics of regulatory relationships that appear to facilitate innovation, and whose absence could impede it: clarity, capacity building, continuity, trust, and bounded flexibility. Appropriately applied bounded flexibility—such as using regulatory discretion to tailor permits to reflect the particular risks, benefits, and information needs of the technology at issue—may be key for enabling socially and environmentally beneficial innovation. Yet all five characteristics play important and mutually reinforcing roles in supporting innovation. By cultivating these characteristics in their relationships, both utilities and regulators can take responsibility for enabling appropriate implementation of innovative technologies. However, some parties, particularly small and under-resourced utilities, may find cultivating these characteristics difficult. Therefore, sector-wide support for effective utility-regulator relationships, including coordinated regulatory and funding programs targeted to meet small utilities’ needs, may be needed to bring beneficial innovation within reach for many wastewater utilities and the communities they serve.

Current Knowledge and Data Needs for Dioxins in San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | January 2nd, 2019

San Francisco Bay was placed on the State of California’s 303(d) list of impaired waters in 1998 as a result of elevated concentrations of dioxins in fish. In 2008 the

San Francisco Bay was placed on the State of California’s 303(d) list of impaired waters in 1998 as a result of elevated concentrations of dioxins in fish. In 2008 the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) Dioxins Workgroup developed a workplan for reducing information gaps that were identified in a 2004 Conceptual Model/Impairment Assessment (CMIA) report on dioxins. Special studies in that workplan were largely completed by 2012, but continued monitoring of biota provided evidence of impairment and an opportunity for evaluating trends. Fish tissue concentrations indicate that the beneficial use of commercial and sport fishing is impaired by dioxins. Although there are dioxin-like PCBs also contributing to impairment, this report only directly addresses polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and furans (here collectively called “dioxins”). 

CV-SALTS Prioritization & Optimization Study: Final Baseline Characterization Report

Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS) | March 9th, 2024

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Central Valley Water Board) first adopted a three-phased Salt Control Program into the water quality regulations

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Central Valley Water Board) first adopted a three-phased Salt Control Program into the water quality regulations applicable to the Central Valley Region of California in 2018; these regulations were subsequently amended in 2020. Phase I of the Salt Control Program requires implementation of the Prioritization and Optimization (P&O) Study. The primary purposes of this Study are to characterize existing salinity conditions in surface water and groundwater in the Central Valley Region, establish appropriate salinity targets for the protection of beneficial uses, and facilitate the development of long-term salt management alternatives for implementation in Phases II and III of the Salt Control Program.

CVFPP Conservation Strategy Appendix A. Regulatory Setting

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | July 14th, 2016

Section 7.0 of the Conservation Strategy describes regional permitting efforts that are being developed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in v

Section 7.0 of the Conservation Strategy describes regional permitting efforts that are being developed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in various stages of implementation. This appendix provides a more thorough description of the State and federal regulatory approvals that will be required for implementation of the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP), including the Conservation Strategy.