Water-Quality Measurements in San Francisco Bay – a component of

~ 40,000 measurements

per year

San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau Photo

Why Monitoring?

1960 1970 1980 1990 20000

5

10

15

Bot

tom

DO

(m

g/L)

0

10

20E

fflue

nt A

mm

onia

(m

g/L)

SERL USGS

USGS-RMP

#1 – Measures Benefits of Actions to Improve Water Quality

“Nutrient over-enrichment is a significant problem for the coastal regions of the United States…

Of 139 coastal sites .. 44 experiencing symptoms such as low dissolved oxygen, nuisance and toxic algal blooms…

National Coastal Nutrient Management strategy … to provide local decision-makers and those responsible for implementing management activities with the information they will need to determine appropriate source reduction goals and methods at the local level.”

NRC (2000)

1980 1990 20000

20

40

60

Chl

orop

hyll

(g/

L)

0

10

20E

fflue

nt N

itrat

e (

mg/L

)

#2 – Measures Environmental Condition so Management Priorities can be Established

http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/hab/anatomy.htm

But … continued monitoring is essential because ….

Dinophysis acuminata

Pseudonitzschia delicastissima

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 20000

100

200

300

400

500C

oppe

r in

Macom

a (

g/g)wwrcamnl.wr.usgs.gov/tracel/data

#3 – Measures Benefits of Reducing Point-Source Inputs of Contaminants

#4 – Identifies Changes in Contaminant Sources

Then, point-source inputs

Now, urban runoff

#5 – Measures Disturbance by Alien

Species

Interagency Ecological Program and USGS

“The ecological impacts of the Potamocorbula invasion are as dramatic as any documented in the literature, and provided the impetus for the Board’s 303(d) listing decision.”

303(d) LIST FOR SAN FRANCISCO BAY

Exotic Species

Mercury

Copper

Diazinon

PCB’s

Selenium

Nickel

Monitoring of the Bay is not complete

• Nutrients

• Phytoplankton Community

• Zooplankton

• Ecosystem Processes

• Benthos