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Development of Sediment Quality Objectives for California Bays and Estuaries

This project aims to develop sediment quality objectives for California bays and estuaries by analyzing sediment chemistry, toxicity, benthic communities, and potential bioaccumulation effects. The project also involves the development of a Benthic Community Assessment Tool and evaluation of sediment-fish transfer models. The project activities and updates are discussed by the Scientific Steering Committee, which includes experts in the field.

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Development of Sediment Quality Objectives for California Bays and Estuaries

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  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-June 2004

  2. Project Activities

  3. Scientific Steering Committee • Confirmed participation of most of original members • Greater time commitment requested • Some SSC members have opted out due to time conflicts • SSC meeting on August 3-4 at SCCWRP • Updates regarding project scope and status • Identification of key science and implementation issues • Feedback regarding workplan elements • Decide mode of SSC interaction • Plan future activities

  4. Scientific Steering Committee • Dr. Todd Bridges, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ERDC • Dr. Robert Van Dolah, So. Carolina Inst. Mar. Resources Res. • Tom Gries, Washington Dept. of Ecology • Chris Ingersoll, U.S. Geological Survey • Dr. Robert Burgess, U.S. EPA, Narragansett • Dr. Peter Landrum, NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab • Edward Long, ERL Environmental • Donald D. MacDonald, MacDonald Environmental Services • Gail Sloane, Florida Department of Environmental Protection • Dr. Dominic DiToro, Hydroqual Inc. • Bioaccumulation effects on humans/wildlife • Uncertainty analysis/weight of evidence

  5. Direct Effects • Sediment quality database development • Chemical effects analysis • Benthic community assessment tool development • Integration of triad into objectives

  6. Database • Study identification and data compilation moving forward • 3729 samples compiled so far • Updated inventory and status available • Identified additional studies for inclusion • Revised SF Bay priority assignments • SF Bay, North Coast, and San Diego Bay • Database QA activities in progress • Format • Data entry • So. Calif. version of database available • www.sccwrp.org

  7. Current Database Contents Region Sed Chem Sed Tox Infauna So. Calif. 1681 1282 163 SF Bay 1016 1016 0 Pac. Ocean 915 731 169 No. Calif 105 103 0 Other 12 8 0 Total 3729 3140 332

  8. Benthic Community Assessment Tool Development • Refine Benthic Response Index (BRI) • Investigate alternative assessment tools for other regions of State • Compare/standardize sampling methods

  9. Benthic Community Assessment Tool Development • Refine Benthic Response Index • Analysis of Bight’03 benthos samples underway • Index development dataset will be assembled • Bight’98, Western EMAP, Huntington Harbor/Anaheim Bay assessment, San Diego Bay assessment and cleanup studies • First phase of BRI & IBI comparison complete • Approximately 70% agreement between approaches

  10. Benthic Community Assessment Tool Development • Investigate alternative tools • Joint effort with SFEI to compare SF Bay IBI and BRI • First phase of comparison complete • Joint effort with TetraTech to examine RIVPACS approach • Project not feasible • Evaluation of BPTCP RBI approach • Evaluation of community zonation along Pacific Coast • Insufficient data to develop a benthic community assessment tool for Northern California areas outside of San Francisco Bay

  11. Benthic Community Assessment Tool Development • Comparison of sampling methods • Comparison of sieve sizes underway • Approximately 187 samples from multiple habitats • Planning for sampling gear comparison • Compare grab types and cores among 80 stations • Sampling planned for summer 2004

  12. Indirect Effects • Evaluation of models for sediment-fish transfer • Identify most useful approaches • Understand data needs and uncertainty • Case studies to link sediment contamination to human health risk and predator risk • Site-specific data for selected contaminants and receptors • Identify methods and data needs for application in other areas • Contract with SFEI in place • Work is in progress • Detailed work plan will be developed and reviewed by SSC

  13. Method Manuals • Field sampling • Benthic sampling method comparisons • Chemical contamination • Toxicity • Chronic test comparison • Bioaccumulation potential • Benthic community impact • Assessment tool development • Information management Preparation of manuals will begin in 2005

  14. Toxicity Method Comparison • Evaluation of candidate chronic sediment toxicity test methods • 15 stations from So. Calif. and S.F. Bay • Comparison of 6 methods conducted in first phase of study • Results summary has been distributed • Compilation of additional chemistry data and related studies is in progress • Subset of methods for additional study will be made following data review and input from SSC

  15. Assessment • Sediment Quality Summary • Describe extent and magnitude of impacts in bays and estuaries • Assessment based on draft objectives Toxicity • Requires representative data • EMAP, NOAA, Bight surveys Preparation of summary will begin in 2005

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