Science in Support of Managing Water Quality Philip Trowbridge, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Science in Support of Managing Water Quality Philip Trowbridge, P.E. San Francisco Estuary Institute

San Francisco Bay SHALLOW, COMPLEX BIG, URBANIZED LARGE WATERSHED Area = 4,100 km 2 Median Depth = 4 m 40% of CA

Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay Stakeholders An innovative partnership to understand the health of San Francisco Bay Govern- Industry ment Celebrating our 24th year! Scientists

General Goal of the RMP Collect data and communicate information about water quality in San Francisco Bay in support of management decisions

RMP Participants Allocation of RMP Fees by Sector Budget: $3.5M Industry 11.0% Municipal Stormwater WWTFs 23.5% 44.0% Dredgers Cooling Water 17.5% 4.0%

Special Studies Status and Trends Monitoring Stormwater: Mercury Sources, Pathways and Loadings Water PCBs / Dioxins Sediment Nutrients Bottom & Selenium Shore Copper Nutrients: concentrations & effects Toxicity Coyote Creek PAHs NO 3- (mg/L) Alviso Guadalupe Slough Slough Emerging Contaminants (PPCPs, pesticides, Non-targeted microplastics,etc.) CECs analysis

Achieving Our Goal RMP Impacts on Management Decisions Product phase outs National/State Identifying high risk CECs Scale TMDLs for PCBs, Hg, Se Fish Consumption Advisories Regional Scale Nutrient Management Strategy Ambient sediment and water Local Scale concentrations for permitting

RMP Data Establish Background for Local Permits

Nutrient Studies Inform a Multi-Billion Dollar Decision Continuous Monitoring Water Quality Modeling with Moored Sensors Algal Toxins High-Res Water Quality Mapping Coyote Creek - (mg/L) NO 3 Alviso Guadalupe Slough Slough

Fish Tissue Monitoring for TMDLs and Advisories Methylmercury in Striped Bass

Innovative Methods To Monitor Selenium in Fish Non-Lethal Sturgeon Muscle Plug Monitoring

PBDEs: A Bay Area Water Quality Monitoring Success Story PBDEs added to foams, plastics & fabrics as a flame retardant SF Bay became a PBDE hot spot US phase-out 2004, California ban 2006 US phase-out 2013 PENTA OCTA DECA

Developing a Microplastic Strategy For San Francisco Bay: Pollution Pathways Information Needed to Support Decision-making Bay Monitoring Wastewater Water Connection with Marine Debris Fish Sediment Bottom & Stormwater Shore Mussels (filter-feeders)

Keys to the RMP’s Success Clear Objectives Forum for Collaboration Relevant to Decisions Adaptability Stable Funding Long Range Planning Allocation of RMP Fees by Sector Industry 11.0% Municipal Stormwater WWTFs 23.5% 44.0% Dredgers Cooling Water 17.5% 4.0%

Thank you!

For More Information Jay Davis, PhD Philip Trowbridge, PE RMP Manager RMP Lead Scientist philt@sfei.org jay@sfei.org (510) 746-7345 (510) 746-7368 www.sfei.org/RMP