Conceptual Model to Support PCB Management and Monitoring in the San Leandro Bay Priority Margin Unit Final Report

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

The goal of this report is to answer three questions related to management and monitoring of PCBs in priority margin units. To this end, a conceptual model was develope

The goal of this report is to answer three questions related to management and monitoring of PCBs in priority margin units. To this end, a conceptual model was developed that includes four major elements: 1. loading from the watersheds; 2. initial deposition and retention; 3. processes determining the long-term fate of PCBs in sediment and water; and 4. bioaccumulation in the food web

Conceptual Model to Support PCB Management and Monitoring in the San Leandro Bay Priority Margin Unit, Phase One

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | June 1st, 2018

The goal of RMP PCB special studies over the next few years is to inform the review and possible revision of the PCB TMDL and the reissuance of the Municipal Regional P

The goal of RMP PCB special studies over the next few years is to inform the review and possible revision of the PCB TMDL and the reissuance of the Municipal Regional Permit for Stormwater, both of which are tentatively scheduled to occur in 2020. Conceptual model development for a set of four representative priority margin units will provide a foundation for establishing an effective and efficient monitoring plan to track responses to load reductions, and will also help guide planning of management actions. The Emeryville Crescent was the first PMU to be studied in 2015-2016. The San Leandro Bay PMU is second (2016-2017), Steinberger Slough in San Carlos is third (2017), and Richmond Harbor will be fourth (2018). The conceptual model reports for these four PMUs will be developed and presented using a consistent framework, and will build on each other to form an integrated assessment of these four areas. The lessons learned from these analyses will also be more generally applicable to similar contaminated sites on the margins of the Bay.

Condition of California Perennial, Wadeable Streams Based on Algal Indicators

Southern California Coastal Water Research Project | October 1st, 2013

Algae can serve as indicators of stream ecological condition in two ways. Information about algal community composition can be used for bioassessment analogous to the

Algae can serve as indicators of stream ecological condition in two ways. Information about algal community composition can be used for bioassessment analogous to the way in which benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) are employed (e.g., as described in Ode et al. 2011). When algae occur in excess (i.e., in the case of eutrophication), stress to the system can result; as such, the total amount of algae present also becomes an indicator of stream health in its own right. To date, the state of California has invested in several initiatives to build capacity for conducting stream algal assessment. This includes support for creation of a planning document funded by State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) (Fetscher and McLaughlin 2008) and establishment of SWAMP Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for field sample collection (Fetscher et al. 2009) and a laboratory processing and enumeration SOP (currently in review) for determining algal community composition. In addition, an algae Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for bioassessment of southern California streams was recently completedby Fetscher et al. (2013), and a state algae laboratory, based at California State University San Marcos, has been established. Over the past several years, the state of California’s Perennial Stream Assessment (PSA)and Reference Condition Management Program (RCMP), the southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC), and other smaller programs have collected and processed algae samples using the SWAMP protocols. As such, a substantial amount of standardized data on stream algae and instream, vascular macrophytes (together hereafter referred to as stream “primary producer indicators”) have been collected in California since 2007. However, no consolidated analysis of these data has been conducted so far. This report represents such an effort.

Confirmation of Initial Incidental Take for Adult Delta Smelt for the 2018 Water Year

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) | January 4th, 2018

Considerations for Management of the Mouth State of California’s Bar-built Estuaries

Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project | January 10th, 2019

Bar-built estuaries are the dominant estuary type in California, and many of these small estuaries are subject to closure with a sand barrier separating a lagoon

Bar-built estuaries are the dominant estuary type in California, and many of these small estuaries are subject to closure with a sand barrier separating a lagoon estuary from the ocean for days, months or even years. In the lagoon impounded behind the sand barrier, water levels may rise or fall depending on net water budget and water quality extremes may develop. These conditions and the obstruction of fish passage motivate managed breaching of the sand barrier in many systems statewide – an intervention that alleviates or preempts environmental problems, but which also can result in undesirable secondary impacts due to the acute effect of a single breach or the chronic effect of repeated breaching over years. Management decisions are based on an implicit trade-off between anticipated benefits and costs that depend on the values and priorities of stakeholders. This report was written to provide an overview of considerations for managed breaching in California. It presents a synthesis of processes and phenomena related to mouth closure and breaching in general and uses this to identify potential impacts of breaching, without intending any judgment of which impacts are more or less desirable. Three specific systems are reviewed in detail: Los Peñasquitos Lagoon in San Diego County, Scott Creek Estuary in San Mateo County and Russian River Estuary in Sonoma County. While there are fundamental similarities in the closure and breaching cycle across all bar-built estuaries statewide, there is also an immense diversity between these systems due to differences in size, in hydrology (wet north to dry south), and in development (rural, urban, agricultural, road/rail). The local community is likely to develop the best management strategy where there is significant effort and experience in local monitoring, science, and stakeholder consultation. However, where there is limited monitoring, science or consultation, the considerations outlined in this report provide preliminary guidance – and comparison with one of the study systems can provide more specific insight to the potential impacts of breaching management decisions. We synthesize current understanding related to how mouth state influences estuary functions and conditions, which in turn affect ecological services. While both natural and managed breaching affect many processes and phenomena in the estuary, breaching events and managed breaching regimes do not occur in isolation and many other factors affect the estuary functions and conditions, including freshwater inputs, the adjacent landscape, and stressors in the watershed. However, managed breaching is one of very few short-term management options and therefore a valuable adaptive management tool, specifically in systems that are already perturbed or impacted by human encroachment. Although emergency breaches may be required in rare occasions, our recommendation is to develop a breaching strategy for specific systems in which breaching has been used or in which it is likely to be used as a management tool. In this context, we recommend ways in which science can provide improved support for management decisions and identify a few systems in California in which there is already a well-developed, science-based management plan. Associated document: "Wetlands on the Edge: The Future of Southern California's Wetlands - Regional Strategy 2018"

Constructed wetlands for winery wastewater treatment: A review on the technical, environmental and socio-economic benefits

Science of the Total Environment (Elsevier) | April 19th, 2023

In wineries, wastewater production and solid waste generation can pose serious environmental threats. Winery wastewater production has a seasonal behavior and needs a tre

In wineries, wastewater production and solid waste generation can pose serious environmental threats. Winery wastewater production has a seasonal behavior and needs a treatment system that can adapt to these fluctuations while reducing costs, and environmental impacts and promoting other winery activities. The implementation of constructed wetlands (CWs) has been demonstrated to be a competitive solution for winery wastewater and sludge treatment. In this article, worldwide experiences over the last 25 years of CWs for winery wastewater treatment are reviewed. The review shows that the application of hybrid CWs coupled with anaerobic digestion can reduce >90 % of the organic pollutants and solids from winery wastewater while avoiding clogging. These efficiencies and advantages can be also attained with French vertical systems. Not only CWs have a good technical performance, but they also reduce up to >90 % the environmental impacts associated with winery wastewater treatment. It is due to low energy requirements, no chemicals consumption and avoidance of off-site management and transportation practices. In terms of costs, CWs can reduce up to 60 times the costs associated with winery wastewater treatment and management. More efforts should be made in order to define the social benefits of this technology and the quality of the recovered resources (e.g. treated water, fertilizer) in order to promote the circular economy without compromising human and ecosystem health.

Contaminant Concentrations in Eggs of Double-crested Cormorants and Forster's Terns from San Francisco Bay: 2002-2012

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

The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) conducted an Exposure and Effects Pilot Study (EEPS) to monitor contaminant exposure and ef

The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) conducted an Exposure and Effects Pilot Study (EEPS) to monitor contaminant exposure and effects in Bay wildlife. Avian egg monitoring is one tool that was piloted in the EEPS and retained as an element of RMP Status and Trends monitoring. Avian eggs from two species have been monitored: Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), a sentinel species for the open waters of the Bay, and Forster’s Terns (Sterna forsteri), a sentinel species for shallow-water habitats on the Bay margins, including managed ponds.

Contaminant Concentrations in San Francisco Bay Sportfish, Cruise Report Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) 2019

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | July 1st, 2019

This report contains information on the spring and summer field sampling efforts conducted by the Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory at Moss Landing Marine Labs (MPSL-ML

This report contains information on the spring and summer field sampling efforts conducted by the Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory at Moss Landing Marine Labs (MPSL-MLML). The purpose of this field effort was to collect sportfish for an eighth season of data (in support of 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2014 surveys) in the ongoing study of Contamination in San Francisco Bay Sportfish. The work was contracted through the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) for the Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) for Water Quality.  The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) monitors concentrations of contaminants in fish tissue as indicators of bioaccumulation of contaminants in the Bay. In 2019, the RMP will conduct its eighth round of sport fish monitoring by collecting sport fish samples from various locations in the Bay as a part of routine Status and Trends Monitoring. Add-ons to the routine Status and Trends sport fish monitoring design will include archiving for microplastics and fipronil, as well as additional collections of shiner surfperch in Priority Margin Unit areas (PMUs).

Contaminant Concentrations in Sport Fish from San Francisco Bay, 2014

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | June 1st, 2017

This summary report presents results from a 2014 survey of contaminants in San Francisco Bay sport fish, as well as an additional 2015 sampling of sport fish in Artesian

This summary report presents results from a 2014 survey of contaminants in San Francisco Bay sport fish, as well as an additional 2015 sampling of sport fish in Artesian Slough in Lower South Bay. This monitoring effort represents the seventh round of sport fish contaminant monitoring conducted by the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP). This technical report is intended for agency staff charged with managing water quality issues related to bioaccumulation of contaminants in San Francisco Bay.  The RMP began sport fish monitoring in 1997, following a pilot study conducted by the Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program in 1994. Data collected through this monitoring program provides updates on the status and long-term trends of contaminants in Bay sport fish, and are used to update human health consumption advisories and evaluate the effectiveness of regulatory and management efforts to reduce the impacts of contaminants of concern in the Bay. Key analyses in this report include comparisons of concentrations to human health and regulatory thresholds, spatial trend evaluation, and temporal trend evaluation.  Mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, selenium, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) were analyzed across sixteen fish species collected at eight locations in San Francisco Bay and Artesian Slough. Fish species were selected based on a number of criteria, including species that are popular for consumption, are sensitive indicators of problems (accumulating relatively high concentrations of contaminants), are widely distributed, represent different exposure pathways (benthic vs. pelagic), and have been monitored in the past. Concentrations were compared to numeric human health thresholds established by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) for mercury, PCBs, selenium, and PBDEs. Results were also compared to regulatory thresholds for mercury, PCBs, and selenium, as well as non-regulatory screening value for dioxins, which have been established in Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) regulations by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board). 

Contaminant Concentrations in Sport Fish from San Francisco Bay: 2014

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | January 1st, 2014

This summary report presents results from a 2014 survey of contaminants in San Francisco Bay sport fish, as well as an additional 2015 sampling of sport fish in Artesian

This summary report presents results from a 2014 survey of contaminants in San Francisco Bay sport fish, as well as an additional 2015 sampling of sport fish in Artesian Slough in Lower South Bay. This monitoring effort represents the seventh round of sport fish contaminant monitoring conducted by the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP). This technical report is intended for agency staff charged with managing water quality issues related to bioaccumulation of contaminants in San Francisco Bay. The RMP began sport fish monitoring in 1997, following a pilot study conducted by the Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program in 1994. Data collected through this monitoring program provides updates on the status and long-term trends of contaminants in Bay sport fish, and are used to update human health consumption advisories and evaluate the effectiveness of regulatory and management efforts to reduce the impacts of contaminants of concern in the Bay. Key analyses in this report include comparisons of concentrations to human health and regulatory thresholds, spatial trend evaluation, and temporal trend evaluation. Mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, selenium, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) were analyzed across sixteen fish species collected at eight locations in San Francisco Bay and Artesian Slough. Fish species were selected based on a number of criteria, including species that are popular for consumption, are sensitive indicators of problems (accumulating relatively high concentrations of contaminants), are widely distributed, represent different exposure pathways (benthic vs. pelagic), and have been monitored in the past. Concentrations were compared to numeric human health thresholds established by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) for mercury, PCBs, selenium, and PBDEs. Results were also compared to regulatory thresholds for mercury, PCBs, and selenium, as well as non-regulatory screening value for dioxins, which have been established in Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) regulations by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board). The OEHHA fish consumption advisory is primarily driven by human exposure risks to mercury and PCBs. The 2014 data show that mercury and PCB concentrations remain high and widespread, indicating that these contaminants continue to pose the greatest human and wildlife health risks. Mercury concentrations exceeded OEHHA’s no consumption threshold for the sensitive population (women 18-45 and children 1-17) in several white sturgeon and striped bass samples, while PCB concentrations exceeded the no consumption threshold in Pacific sardine and white sturgeon samples. The spatial distribution of contamination has remained consistent over time, reflecting current knowledge of contaminated source areas targeted for management activities. Recent data showed no clear evidence of Bay-wide declines in either mercury or PCBs, although progressively lower PCB concentrations have been observed in recent years near Berkeley and in San Pablo Bay.