Development of Sediment Quality Objectives for California Bays and Estuaries

1. Development of Sediment Quality Objectives for California Bays and Estuaries Steven Bay Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) steveb@sccwrp.org Project Update

2. Primary Tasks • Planning and technical review • Database development • Benthic community assessment tool development • Effects assessment and analysis • Sediment quality objectives development • Implementation program • Sediment quality summary

3. Science Team • SCCWRP • San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) • Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML) • Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory (MPSL) • EXA Data and Mapping • Other consultants for specific elements • Statistical analysis • Bioaccumulation modeling

4. Schedule • January 2003: Project start Workplan development Database creation • June 2003: Adopt workplan Benthic assessment tool development Data analyses Limited field sampling • August 2005: Draft SQOs for review Guidance development Additional analyses (respond to comments) Summary of sediment quality • February 2007: Adopt SQOs

5. Progress to Date • Planning and technical review • Database development • Benthic community assessment tool development • Effects assessment and analysis • Sediment quality objectives development • Implementation program • Sediment quality summary

6. Database Development • Statewide sediment quality database • Foundation for analyses to develop and verify proposed SQOs • Build upon ongoing efforts by CSTF, SCCWRP, other agencies • Sediment chemistry, toxicity, benthic community, and bioaccumulation data • Monitoring, dredging permits, special studies • Available to public • Resource for other projects

7. Database Update • Revised data format to accommodate bioaccumulation data and simplify structure • Incorporating additional data • San Diego Bay • Newport Bay • San Francisco Bay • Evaluation of additional San Francisco Bay data for inclusion (SFEI) • Dredging studies • Military base clean up studies • Richmond Harbor and airport expansion studies

8. Benthic Community Assessment Tool Development • Benthic macrofauna represent most sensitive aquatic species • Data interpretation is complex and subject to confounding factors • Assessment tools based on multiple species/metrics needed • Approach: • Refine So. Calif. Benthic Response Index (BRI) • Develop tools for other regions of State • Compare/standardize sampling methods

9. Benthic Community Assessment Tool Development Update • Refine southern California BRI • Coordination with Bight’03 survey • Collected samples from areas of expected high impact

10. Benthic Community Assessment Tool Development Update • Develop and harmonize assessment tool for San Francisco Bay • Joint effort with SFEI • Assembled database for evaluation of southern Calif. and S.F. Bay assessment methods • Bight’98, EMAP, BPTCP, NOAA • RMP, BADA , Dept. Water Resources • Moss Landing Marine Labs • Comparison of assessment tools will follow completion of taxonomic standardization of database

11. Implementation Program • Guidance for use of SQOs • Assessment (e.g., 303(d) listing) • Discharge regulations • Sediment cleanup • Multiple vs. single lines of evidence • Guidance for monitoring and assessment studies • Methods manuals for sampling and analysis • Enforcement policy

12. Implementation program • Initiated development of application framework • Outline of proposed topics • Evaluating candidate chronic sediment toxicity test methods • 15 stations from So. Calif. and S.F. Bay • 5 methods will be compared to acute amphipod toxicity, chemistry, and benthos • Amphipod growth and reproduction • Polychaete growth • Copepod reproduction • Juvenile clam growth • Mussel embryo development • Testing in progress