Causal assessment study launched in San Luis Rey River watershed SCCWRP and its partners have launched a causal assessment study in the San Luis Rey River watershed in San Diego County to help managers evaluate the likely vs. unlikely causes ... More |
SMC study examining why some modified channels are healthier than others The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has launched an investigation into why some streams that have been modified via channel hardening have healthier biological communities than others – part ... More |
Flows framework applied in groundwater management efforts The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has begun using a statewide scientific framework that was originally developed to help managers determine the environmental flow needs of California streams to ... More |
OAH model used to investigate effects of nutrient discharges in coastal waters A research team that has been modeling how land-based nutrient discharges into California coastal waters influences ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) has demonstrated how to use the model for predicting ... More |
Tools developed to predict risk of mass marine mammal strandings caused by HAB toxin SCCWRP and its partners have developed a set of tools for predicting the likelihood of marine mammals becoming stranded on Southern California beaches based on exposure to elevated levels of ... More |
Expert panel begins review of OAH modeling tools An independent panel of scientific experts has begun reviewing a set of modeling tools that predicts the ecological consequences of intensifying ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) in California coastal waters ... More |
Pair of studies evaluates seaweed farming’s potential to remove carbon dioxide from coastal waters SCCWRP and its partners have published a pair of studies exploring how seaweed farming could be used to remove dissolved carbon dioxide directly from coastal waters – a potential management ... More |
Study launched to evaluate collection methods for microplastics in drinking water SCCWRP and its partners have launched a study comparing the performance of two methods for collecting drinking water samples in preparation for measuring their microplastics content – a key step ... More |
Study reassesses sediment contamination at Palos Verdes Superfund site completed SCCWRP has completed a follow-up study assessing the state of sediment contamination along the Palos Verdes shelf a decade after completing the Superfund site’s last ecological condition assessment. The study, ... More |
SCCWRP has launched a two-year study to inform deliberations by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board about whether one or more urban lakes in Los Angeles County should ... More |
Lab accreditation agencies trained on bioassay methods for fish Assessors who accredit environmental laboratories in California received training in testing requirements and data quality issues associated with a suite of commonly used fish bioassay toxicity tests during a three-day ... More |
Modeling work underway for study probing relationship between HF183 and illness risk SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to model the levels at which exposure to the fecal contamination marker HF183 in wet-weather runoff is associated with increased illness risks for ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to estimate what portion of human fecal contamination in the San Diego River watershed can be attributed to raw wastewater exfiltrating from public ... More |
Additional monitoring added to study quantifying benefits of replacing turf lawns SCCWRP and the County of San Diego have added an additional year of monitoring to a study seeking to quantify the runoff reduction benefits of replacing residential grass with drought-tolerant ... More |
SCCWRP exploring how to integrate coastal estuary monitoring with California State Parks SCCWRP has begun exploring how to integrate a suite of newly developed tools for monitoring the health of coastal estuaries into California State Parks’ estuarine monitoring and management programs. During ... More |
Regional BMP monitoring program adds monitoring sites in second year of BMP performance monitoring The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has expanded the number of structural BMPs where field teams are collecting data on the performance of structural stormwater BMPs as the SMC ... More |
Bight ’23 shellfish study to benefit 4 study elements The 2023 cycle of the Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program has launched a year-long investigation to comprehensively track the accumulation of multiple different types of contaminants in shellfish – ... More |
SMC studies being used to investigate BMPs’ potential to remove microplastics in runoff SCCWRP and its partners have initiated a pair of studies exploring the potential of different types of stormwater BMPs to reduce microplastics pollution in runoff – with both studies leveraging ... More |
Effort launched to develop protective assessment tools for California streams SCCWRP and its partners have begun developing a suite of tools to help managers identify the specific stressors that present significant ecological risks to California streams that are in good ... More |
New SCCWRP data portal enhances access to most-requested data products SCCWRP has publicly unveiled a web-based data portal that provides centralized access to millions of environmental data points and cutting-edge data analysis tools – the culmination of a years-long effort ... More |
Taxonomic standards developed to support biological indicators for dry streams SCCWRP and its partners have developed taxonomic data standards for terrestrial arthropods and bryophytes, paving the way for these organisms to be used as routine bioassessment indicators for tracking the ... More |
SCCWRP aiding U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in overhauling ecological response modeling SCCWRP has begun working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to overhaul and modernize how the federal agency uses modeling tools to assess the ecological condition of aquatic ... More |
Study launched to probe how water temperature affects stream health SCCWRP and its partners have kicked off the technical work for a study seeking to improve managers’ understanding of how water temperature affects the health of sensitive aquatic life in ... More |
Analysis initiated to understand how flow patterns affect biological health of modified channels The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has begun examining how flow alterations affect the biological health of streams that have been modified via channel hardening – part of a ... More |
Experts on HABs, kelp convened to support development of coastal ocean health report cards SCCWRP has convened two groups of scientific experts to develop consensus on how to assess the state of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and kelp, respectively, in California and West Coast ... More |
Experts convened to improve understanding of interactions between HABs, OAH SCCWRP has convened a group of scientific experts on harmful algal blooms (HABs) and ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) to study the relationship between these two coastal stressors, especially how ... More |
First experiment completed for study seeking to close knowledge gaps in microplastics exposure data SCCWRP and its partners have completed the first of two exposure experiments for a two-year toxicity study working to close knowledge gaps in how aquatic life are adversely affected by ... More |
SCCWRP and the City of Los Angeles have begun working to earn regulatory approvals to use a rapid, DNA-based method for detecting fecal contamination at City beaches – an advance ... More |
Leak detection method successfully applied to test public sewer pipes across San Diego area SCCWRP and its partners have successfully tested more than 20 underground sewer pipes in the San Diego area for leaks using a newly developed method that can detect volumetric losses ... More |
The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) is planning to double the number of sites where field teams are collecting data on the performance of structural stormwater BMPs as the ... More |
Field training, intercalibration completed to support two new estuarine monitoring programs SCCWRP and its partners have completed field training and intercalibration exercises to support a pair of monitoring initiatives intended to collectively generate comprehensive insights about the ecological health of coastal ... More |
Effort launched to build statewide program for monitoring estuary health SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to establish a statewide monitoring program for coastal estuaries that is optimally responsive to the needs and priorities of managers. During a workshop ... More |
Effort launched to build network of Southern California estuary monitoring sites SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to build a network of estuary monitoring sites across Southern California that can serve as sentinel indicators for how the region’s coastal wetlands ... More |
Expert panel convened to review OAH modeling tools An independent panel of scientific experts has been convened to review a set of modeling tools that predicts the ecological consequences of intensifying ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) in California ... More |
Field sampling completed for Bight ’23 Sediment Quality element The Southern California Bight 2023 Regional Monitoring Program has completed field sampling for its signature Sediment Quality study element – a coordinated, three-month field effort that lays the foundation for ... More |
Quality-assurance recommendations developed to improve Ceriodaphnia toxicity test An expert science panel has developed best-practice recommendations for improving the quality and consistency of a toxicity test commonly used in California to monitor the water quality of treated wastewater ... More |
SCCWRP member agencies to help inform development of national eDNA strategy CTAG will host an all-day workshop next month to identify constraints and challenges associated with incorporating environmental DNA (eDNA) methods into aquatic monitoring programs nationwide – the latest in a ... More |
Consensus reached on priority recommendations for supporting development of national eDNA A federal task force that includes SCCWRP has reached agreement on the technical and management actions that will need to be taken to support development of a coordinated national strategy ... More |
Webinar series highlights eDNA methods, applications for environmental monitoring The California Water Quality Monitoring Council and its partners have launched a six-part webinar series to educate managers and other interested parties on how environmental DNA (eDNA) methods can be ... More |
SCCWRP has completed development of a set of standardized assessment protocols for assessing the health of eelgrass beds based on their ecological functioning. Development of the eelgrass beds monitoring SOPs ... More |
Workplan developed for study probing how water temperature affects stream health SCCWRP and its partners have developed a workplan for a two-year study that aims to improve managers’ understanding of how water temperature affects the health of sensitive aquatic life in ... More |
Statewide effort launched to update management guidance for benthic HABs A statewide HABs monitoring workgroup has reconvened a subcommittee to be co-led by SCCWRP that will examine how to improve management options for protecting humans, dogs, and wildlife from toxin-producing ... More |
Steering committee convened to review ocean numerical model for mitigating climate change A steering committee has been convened to guide an upcoming, independent scientific review of a computer modeling tool that was developed by a team that includes SCCWRP to predict the ... More |
Tools being developed to evaluate resiliency of coastal wetlands to sea level rise SCCWRP and its partners have begun developing a set of regional assessment tools to evaluate the resiliency of Southern California’s coastal wetlands to sea level rise – a project that ... More |
Study launched to expand use of bioanalytical cell assays for more aquatic matrices SCCWRP and its partners have launched an intercalibration exercise to evaluate laboratories’ proficiency using bioanalytical cell assays to detect contaminants in surface water, stormwater, seawater and other aquatic matrices. The ... More |
Pair of calculator tools developed to streamline analysis of BMP performance data SCCWRP has developed a pair of open-source calculator tools to streamline and standardize how stormwater managers process raw monitoring data they’ve collected in the field on the performance of stormwater ... More |
SCCWRP has developed a custom-built, field-deployable rainfall generator capable of creating repeatable, controlled wet- weather conditions to support a study investigating the effectiveness of routine street sweeping in removing contaminants ... More |
SCCWRP and Orange County Public Works have deployed a set of low-cost, prototype field sensors into Orange County storm drains as part of a pilot project aiming to automate the ... More |
Bight ’23 field sampling underway to evaluate sediment quality The 2023 cycle of the Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program has kicked off field sampling of coastal seafloor sediment to evaluate the chemical, toxicological and biological health of Southern ... More |
Bight ’23 using newly standardized methods to analyze microplastics in sediment and shellfish The Trash and Microplastics study element of the Southern California Bight 2023 Regional Monitoring Program is leveraging newly standardized methods for collecting and measuring microplastic particles to conduct a regional ... More |
Study shows more than 77% of Southern California’s coastal stream kilometers contains trash The Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program has published the findings of a regional survey of trash in aquatic environments that concluded that 77% of Southern California’s 4,600 miles ... More |
Final intercalibration exercise completed for Ceriodaphnia dubia toxicity testing study A SCCWRP-led study probing the sources of inconsistent results produced by California-accredited laboratories that use a toxicity test commonly used to evaluate discharge water quality has completed its second and ... More |
Mechanistic study to open stormwater BMP ‘black box’ SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year study to characterize the mechanistic inner processes by which a ubiquitous class of stormwater BMPs (best management practices) removes common types of stormwater ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have helped mobilize and coordinate a rapid-response effort to collect offshore field sampling data on toxin-producing harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Southern California coastal waters, following ... More |
The eelgrass habitat suitability model – described in a SCCWRP technical report published in July – will consist of a mechanistic model for predicting eelgrass growth along Southern California’s coast. ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to evaluate the effectiveness of a technology designed to remove dissolved carbon dioxide directly from coastal waters – an investigation that will shed ... More |
Training workshop developed to help managers use stream bioassessment data effectively SCCWRP and its partners have developed a training workshop intended to help managers understand how to appropriately use bioassessment data to protect and restore the health of wadeable streams statewide. ... More |
State, federal agencies briefed for study examining sediment impacts from oil platform installations SCCWRP has begun briefing multiple federal and State agencies about plans to evaluate sediment quality near offshore oil platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel – part of a three-year study ... More |
Framework developed to assess streams’ vulnerability to changes in flow patterns SCCWRP and its partners have developed a scientific framework that enables watershed managers to systematically evaluate how changes in stream flow patterns in the coming years will adversely affect sensitive ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have initiated the second phase of a two-year study to build the technical foundation for a statewide program requiring California cannabis growers to demonstrate that the ... More |
Newport Bay modeling tool applied to help track spread of invasive Caulerpa seaweed SCCWRP and its partners have adapted and applied a computer model that was recently developed for informing seagrass restoration efforts in Newport Bay to help managers track and eradicate an ... More |
Modeling team briefs State Water Board on acidification modeling effort A research team that has been modeling how managers could mitigate the effects of intensifying ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) in California coastal waters was invited to brief the State ... More |
Lab experiments to examine multi-stressor effects of climate change on Dungeness crab SCCWRP and its partners will evaluate how Dungeness crab are affected by the combined effects of low dissolved oxygen levels, ocean acidification and warming water temperatures as part of an ... More |
Advisory panel completes independent review of S.F. Bay nutrient modeling tool A science advisory panel led by SCCWRP’s Dr. Martha Sutula has completed an independent review of a San Francisco Bay computer model being developed to shed light on the ecological ... More |
Expert panel affirms California’s CEC management strategy is working An advisory panel of international scientific experts that has been working to review California’s management strategy for monitoring CECs (contaminants of emerging concern) in aquatic environments has concluded that California ... More |
Effort underway to more than double size of microplastics toxicity database SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to nearly double the size of a public, web-based repository of toxicity data that summarizes the health effects of microplastics exposure on humans ... More |
Sampling completed for study probing relationship between HF183 and illness risk SCCWRP and its partners have successfully completed field sampling for a four-year study probing the relationship between levels of the fecal contamination marker HF183 in wet-weather runoff and the risk ... More |
Study launched to measure sewage leaking from privately owned sewer lines SCCWRP and its partners have initiated a study seeking to estimate how much sewage, if any, is leaking from privately owned sewer lines across the San Diego River watershed and ... More |
Microplastics added as focal point in SMC street sweeping study Researchers will investigate the effectiveness of street sweeping in removing microplastics that enter storm drains and contribute to runoff pollution as part of a newly launched Southern California Stormwater Monitoring ... More |
BMP performance data collected from 5 sites to support regional monitoring network The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has successfully collected monitoring data on the performance of structural stormwater BMPs (best management practices) at five sites – a key milestone in ... More |
Bight ’23 to feature 7 study elements probing coastal ocean health The Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program has solidified plans for seven study elements for its upcoming 2023 cycle – the largest number of elements to date – reflecting the ... More |
Effort launched to standardize microplastics sampling methods A group of international microplastics experts convened by SCCWRP has begun working to standardize the methods that California is using to collect environmental samples in preparation for measuring their microplastics ... More |
Modeling tool developed to predict biological consequences of freshwater salinization SCCWRP and its partners have developed a modeling tool for predicting how aquatic life becomes increasingly stressed as levels of chloride, sulfate and other ions rise in freshwater ecosystems – ... More |
Second phase launched for Newport Bay study revisiting shellfish water-quality standard SCCWRP and its partners have launched the second and final phase of a study examining whether an existing water-quality standard designed to protect the health of people who consume shellfish ... More |
Experts help guide development of acidification assessment approach for Oregon A West Coast technical advisory committee that was convened last year to guide the State of Oregon in developing a standardized approach for assessing the effects of ocean acidification on ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to validate a newly developed computer modeling tool that predicts how algal blooms and turbidity in Newport Bay in Orange County can be ... More |
Statewide monitoring framework published for assessing health of estuaries statewide SCCWRP and its partners have finalized and published a statewide monitoring framework intended to bring consistency to how California assesses the health of its coastal estuaries. The framework, described in ... More |
Study probes utility of virus method for fecal detection The Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program has completed a study that found that an alternative, virus-based method for tracking fecal contamination can be used as an effective complement ... More |
Initial phase of ocean health report card developed for California managers The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) has released the first phase of a multi-component ocean health report card designed to provide managers and policymakers with comprehensive annual snapshots about the ... More |
Study probing variability in Ceriodaphnia toxicity testing results enters final phase An ongoing, SCCWRP-facilitated study probing why California laboratories have been unable to produce consistent results with a toxicity test commonly used to evaluate discharge water quality has ruled out an ... More |
Modeling analysis completed in effort to predict biological consequences of ionic stress SCCWRP and its partners have completed an analysis of where levels of chlorine, sodium and other ions in the Santa Ana watershed have been elevated above background concentrations – a ... More |
Draft technical foundation developed for cannabis growers to request stream flow diversions SCCWRP and its partners have completed the development of a proposed scientific workflow intended to provide the technical foundation for California cannabis growers to demonstrate that the water they are ... More |
Committee formed to advance use of satellite imaging for HABs monitoring SCCWRP has convened a technical advisory committee to develop best-practices guidance for using satellite imaging data as a routine management tool to detect and monitor harmful algal blooms (HABs) in ... More |
Toad distribution modeling completed for stream vulnerability study in San Diego SCCWRP and its partners have completed development of a species distribution model for assessing the vulnerability of the endangered arroyo toad to future changes in stream flow patterns in the ... More |
Estuarine monitoring framework piloted in Baja California, to be applied next year SCCWRP and its partners have completed a pilot effort to assess the ecological health of two Baja California estuaries using a newly developed estuarine monitoring framework that is expected to ... More |
Study to quantify benefits of replacing turf being expanded following first phase SCCWRP and the County of San Diego are moving to the next phase of a study seeking to quantify the runoff water quality benefits of replacing residential grass with drought-tolerant ... More |
Effort launched to reassess sediment contamination at Palos Verdes Superfund site SCCWRP has launched a follow-up study examining the state of sediment contamination along the Palos Verdes shelf a decade after completing the Superfund site’s last ecological condition assessment in 2012. ... More |
Effort underway to begin closing gaps in microplastics exposure data SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to close knowledge gaps in how aquatic life are adversely affected by exposure to microplastics pollution, following the release of a statewide microplastics ... More |
California’s recent experiences incorporating bioanalytical screening technology into recycled-water monitoring programs are prominently featured in a newly developed set of international guidance documents intended to promote adoption of the technology ... More |
SCCWRP partners with new undergraduate fellowship program to advance climate change research SCCWRP has partnered with a newly launched California undergraduate fellowship program to train a new generation of students to help solve pressing societal issues. The #CaliforniansforAll College Corps Fellowship Program ... More |
Technical foundation established for protecting sediment-dwellers in estuaries from organic matter SCCWRP has developed a technical foundation for protecting sediment-dwelling organisms in California estuaries from the harmful effects of exposure to excess organic matter. The technical work product, described in an ... More |
Study launched to probe how water temperature affects stream health SCCWRP and its partners have launched a two-year study to improve understanding of how water temperature affects the health of sensitive aquatic life in Southern California streams where treated wastewater ... More |
Technical foundation drafted for cannabis growers to request stream flow diversions SCCWRP and its partners have developed the first draft of a scientific workflow intended to provide the technical foundation for California cannabis growers to demonstrate that the water they are ... More |
SCCWRP has begun working to study piles of seafloor debris known as shell mounds that were created during installation of 26 offshore oil platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel decades ... More |
eDNA-based methods being developed to identify endangered, invasive freshwater species SCCWRP and its partners have begun developing methods for monitoring Southern California endangered and invasive freshwater species by detecting the DNA they shed into their environment, known as environmental DNA ... More |
Interactive, web-based stream causal assessment tool developed to ID likely causes of degradation SCCWRP and its partners have developed a user-friendly, web-based tool to help managers rapidly evaluate the likely vs. unlikely causes of degraded biological condition in streams in the San Gabriel ... More |
Workshop works to transition eDNA methods to managers More than 300 researchers and environmental managers gathered at SCCWRP and online during a national scientific workshop in September to coordinate and advance strategies for transitioning DNA-based methods for identifying ... More |
SMC study to probe effectiveness of street sweeping for reducing runoff pollution The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has launched a three-year study to investigate the effectiveness of routine street sweeping in removing contaminants that enter storm drains and contribute to ... More |
Study examines how marine mammals are affected by summer HABs toxin exposure SCCWRP and its partners have launched a yearlong study to document the severity of a harmful algal blooms (HABs) event that sickened hundreds of sea lions and other marine mammals ... More |
Toolkit developed for adaptive watershed management SCCWRP and its partners have developed statewide guidance and a set of freely accessible web tools to help California stormwater managers take a consistent, standardized approach to periodically evaluating their ... More |
Study provides statewide picture of when, where HABs are occurring in lakes, reservoirs SCCWRP and its partners have completed a year-long study that used satellite imaging data to build a comprehensive portrait of when and where ecologically disruptive harmful algal blooms (HABs) have ... More |
Marine eDNA decay rates to be measured to support development of DNA-based monitoring SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year study to measure how rapidly the DNA that marine organisms shed into their environment decays in ocean water under different environmental conditions ... More |
Exploratory work launched to build integrated, multitrophic tool for scoring stream health SCCWRP and its partners have begun exploring how to build a multitrophic index tool that integrates three lines of evidence about biological condition in wadeable streams to assess overall ecological ... More |
Hydrologic modeling completed for stream vulnerability study in San Diego region SCCWRP has developed a set of hydrologic models for the San Diego region to support an ongoing study documenting how changes in stream flow patterns in the coming years are ... More |
Beta version of stream flow classification tool developed for Great Plains region SCCWRP and its partners have completed development of the beta version of a tool that can rapidly distinguish among perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams in the U.S. Great Plains region, ... More |
Recommendations developed for how to build capacity to monitor HABs at land-sea interface SCCWRP and its partners have developed a set of best-practices recommendations for building capacity in California to monitor toxins produced by freshwater harmful algal blooms (HABs) that travel through inland ... More |
Acidification modeling work probing influence of Mexican wastewater in coastal Southern California A research team that has been modeling how ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) are expected to intensify in Southern California’s coastal ocean in the coming years is moving into a ... More |
SOPs developed to enable laboratory accreditors to evaluate proficiency at measuring microplastics SCCWRP has completed development of a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that will enable California’s Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) to evaluate laboratories’ proficiency at measuring microplastics levels in ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have completed a first-of-its-kind survey documenting the sanitary habits of people experiencing homelessness along the lower San Diego River – a key milestone in ongoing efforts ... More |
Updated guidance developed for installing, maintaining permeable pavement SCCWRP and its partners have developed updated best-practices guidance for how to site and maintain permeable pavement to sustain its effectiveness for infiltrating stormwater runoff. The updated guidance, developed in ... More |
Bight ’23 to be scoped out during September 22 kickoff meeting at SCCWRP Participants of the Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program will begin making decisions about which study elements the program will tackle and which management questions the program will answer during ... More |
Special journal issue highlights new scientific tools to support microplastics management An initial set of scientific products and health thresholds that could form the technical underpinnings for how California protects aquatic life and humans from exposure to microplastics pollution is featured ... More |
County first to monitor beach fecal pollution via ddPCR San Diego County has become the first municipality in the nation to end its reliance on decades-old methods for monitoring fecal contamination in beach water in favor of a rapid, ... More |
First regional survey underway to examine health of Southern California eelgrass beds SCCWRP and its partners have launched a two-year pilot effort to assess the health of Southern California’s coastal eelgrass beds using a new, bioassessment-based monitoring approach that focuses on evaluating ... More |
Special journal issue highlights statewide stream flow management framework A new scientific framework intended to bring standardization and technical rigor to the process of determining environmental flow needs for California streams is prominently featured in a special issue of ... More |
Draft science product released to support development of statewide stream policy SCCWRP and its partners have released for public comment a draft science product that is expected to serve as the technical foundation for the State Water Board in developing a ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have developed a set of tools to help California watershed managers identify watershed restoration and protection projects that are most likely to achieve the greatest improvements ... More |
Newly discovered algae species named after former SCCWRP scientist A newly discovered species of algae has been named after former SCCWRP Senior Scientist Dr. A. Elizabeth “Betty” Fetscher in recognition of her decades of contributions to the field of ... More |
Technical foundation being developed for cannabis growers to request stream flow diversions SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to develop a scientific foundation for cannabis growers in California to demonstrate that the water they are requesting to divert from nearby streams ... More |
Classification system under development to distinguish among different types of modified channels SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to build a classification system for distinguishing among different types of modified channels in California – a foundational step toward helping stream managers ... More |
Study sheds light on causes of toxin-producing cyanobacterial blooms in California lake SCCWRP and its partners have completed a two-year study that has identified genetic and environmental factors that appear to be triggering and exacerbating toxin-producing cyanobacterial blooms in California’s largest freshwater ... More |
Framework evaluates how to appropriately protect streams, wetlands vulnerable to climate change SCCWRP and its partners have developed a management framework intended to bring technical rigor and consistency to the process of evaluating when it is appropriate to allow conversion of a ... More |
Bight ’18 study shows how bioanalytical screening can be used to monitor sediment contamination SCCWRP and its partners have completed a three-year effort to demonstrate how bioanalytical screening technology can be incorporated into the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program to help track ... More |
SMC develops workplan for regional BMP performance monitoring network The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has developed a detailed workplan for how it will build a new regional monitoring network to investigate the performance of a wide variety ... More |
Performance effectiveness of two non-structural BMPs to be quantified through SMC study The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has decided to quantify the performance effectiveness of two types of non-structural stormwater BMPs (best management practices) – part of a renewed focus ... More |
Data collection underway to quantify benefits of replacing turf with drought-tolerant landscaping SCCWRP and the County of San Diego have begun the data collection phase for a study seeking to measure how much irrigation-induced runoff is eliminated when residential turf grass is ... More |
Bight ’18 publishes synthesis report summarizing Sediment Quality studies The Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program (Bight ’18) has published its final assessment report summarizing how sediment contamination in Southern California has impacted the overall health of coastal ... More |
SMC completes intercalibration for stream monitoring program after 2-year hiatus The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has completed an in-person field intercalibration exercise for its Regional Watershed Monitoring Program that demonstrated that program participants have been able to maintain ... More |
Standardized microplastics monitoring methods introduced to accreditation agencies SCCWRP hosted a three-day workshop in April to introduce laboratory accreditation agencies to California’s newly developed draft methods for measuring microplastics in drinking water, including how to evaluate laboratories for ... More |
SCCWRP helps establish basis for microplastics management A series of international SCCWRP-facilitated scientific studies and workshops over the past year examining how to better monitor and understand microplastics contamination is helping to form the scientific foundation for ... More |
Stormwater drainage conference helps connect SCCWRP to researchers worldwide SCCWRP hosted an international engineering conference focused on improving modeling of urban stormwater drainage systems over a three-day period in January that attracted 146 researchers and practitioners – more than ... More |
Study demonstrates how to use framework to restore more natural flows to streams SCCWRP and its partners have completed a three-year study demonstrating how watershed managers can build a rigorous scientific foundation for integrating environmental flow considerations into their stream restoration planning efforts. ... More |
Study examines climate change’s influence on eutrophication in Santa Margarita watershed SCCWRP and its partners have completed a three-year study examining how climate change is expected to influence eutrophication in the Santa Margarita River watershed – the final piece of a ... More |
Modeling tool under development to predict biological consequences of ionic stress SCCWRP and its partners have begun developing a modeling tool to help Santa Ana River watershed managers understand the relationship between ion levels in the watershed and how aquatic life ... More |
Scientific process for evaluating environmental flows used to develop L.A. River diversion proposals Two agencies that discharge treated wastewater and stormwater into the Los Angeles River have used a scientific process co-developed by SCCWRP to develop two independent proposals for diverting some of ... More |
Study reshapes understanding of how to manage stream flows to protect ecological health SCCWRP and its partners have completed a two-year study that has helped reshape understanding of how to manage stream flow patterns in California to optimally protect overall ecological health. The ... More |
Tijuana River sediment fluxes estimated for effort to improve sediment management practices SCCWRP and San Diego State University have successfully estimated the sediment fluxes being discharged from the Tijuana River at the U.S.-Mexico border to its coastal estuarine terminus – a key ... More |
Acidification modeling work probing whether management scenarios could mitigate ecological effects SCCWRP and its partners have begun investigating whether Southern California’s water-quality management community could mitigate the ecological effects of coastal ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) by investing in a combination ... More |
HABs modeling tool undergoing validation to predict when, where toxin-producing events will occur SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to validate the outputs of a newly developed computer model that predicts when and where toxins produced by a common type of marine ... More |
Sediment quality study examines how to protect coastal estuaries from eutrophication SCCWRP and its partners have completed a two-year sediment quality study examining how to protect bottom-dwelling aquatic life in coastal estuaries from excess organic matter triggered by eutrophication. The study, ... More |
Methods for monitoring COVID-19 in wastewater being transitioned to statewide program A SCCWRP-led statewide committee that has been developing methods for using wastewater streams to monitor COVID-19 infections in communities has begun working with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) ... More |
Method shows promise for detecting small leaks in underground sewer pipes SCCWRP and its partners have developed a promising new method for measuring leaks in underground sewer pipes that has the potential to detect volumetric losses of as little as a ... More |
SMC preparing to kick off pilot phase to build regional BMP performance monitoring network The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) is preparing to kick off the initial pilot phase of a SCCWRP-led effort to build a regional network for monitoring the performance of ... More |
TEDx Shorts podcast featuring SCCWRP engineer makes case for green infrastructure SCCWRP’s Dr. Elizabeth Fassman-Beck is featured in a newly released TEDx Shorts podcast discussing why runoff should be managed with green infrastructure instead of traditional flood control infrastructure. The nine-minute ... More |
First regional survey examining health of Southern California eelgrass beds to be launched SCCWRP and its partners have developed plans to conduct the first regional monitoring survey examining the health of eelgrass beds across coastal Southern California. The two-year monitoring survey, which will ... More |
Kelp farms being studied to improve coastal water quality SCCWRP and its partners have completed the initial phases of integrating a pair of Southern California Bight computer models to investigate how offshore kelp farms might be used to reduce ... More |
Database being compiled to probe quality-assurance issues with Ceriodaphnia toxicity test SCCWRP is compiling a comprehensive database of historical information from nearly 1,000 Ceriodaphnia dubia toxicity tests as part of an ongoing, two-year effort to ensure that this commonly used toxicity ... More |
Monitoring framework undergoing final testing to evaluate health of estuaries statewide SCCWRP and its partners are initiating a final round of field testing this fall on a proposed statewide monitoring framework for assessing the health of California’s coastal estuaries, including two ... More |
Study examines feasibility of using human cyanotoxin thresholds to protect aquatic life SCCWRP and its partners have completed an initial investigation into whether existing cyanotoxin thresholds intended to protect the health of humans exposed to cyanotoxins in freshwater systems also could be ... More |
Bioanalytical screening expands to San Gabriel, Santa Ana watersheds SCCWRP and its partners have analyzed an initial set of water samples collected from the San Gabriel River and Santa Ana River watersheds using bioanalytical screening tools – a major ... More |
Interactive mapping tool to help managers ID causes of poor stream condition SCCWRP and its partners are wrapping up production of an initial version of a user-friendly, web-based management tool for helping stream managers rapidly narrow down likely causes of poor stream ... More |
Series of tools being built to study how warming waters, hypoxia will limit where species can live SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to build a series of species-specific tools for predicting how reductions in dissolved oxygen levels due to warming California coastal waters and changing ... More |
Study examining how to restore L.A. River as flows reduced SCCWRP and its partners have launched an investigation into how to optimally restore aquatic ecosystems along the Los Angeles River in the face of anticipated reductions in the river’s flows ... More |
Tool unveiled for evaluating effects of potential reductions on L.A. River flows SCCWRP and its partners have developed a user-friendly, web-based tool that enables L.A. River water-quality managers to use an agreed-upon scientific approach for evaluating whether the river’s flows can be ... More |
SMC study to explore options for improving biological health of modified channels The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has approved a three-year, SCCWRP-led study to be launched next year that will evaluate multiple potential management options for improving the biological health ... More |
International partnership established to assess health of Baja California estuaries SCCWRP has built a partnership with researchers in Mexico to assess the health of coastal estuaries in Baja California next year using a proposed estuarine monitoring framework developed for California. ... More |
Template established for how boat harbors could modify copper regulatory targets SCCWRP and its partners have completed a three-year study that establishes a template for how Southern California boat harbors could pursue scientifically validated modifications to default regulatory targets for dissolved ... More |
Variants of COVID-19 virus detected in Southern California wastewater streams SCCWRP and its partners have found that variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus – including mutations found in the virus’s Eta variant lineage – can be detected in wastewater influent streams ... More |
SCCWRP-hosted stormwater drainage conference soliciting abstracts A SCCWRP-hosted international conference next year that will focus on improving modeling of urban stormwater drainage systems has begun soliciting abstracts for presentations, workshops and special sessions. The triennial Urban ... More |
Second sampling phase launched to study cyanotoxin-producing blooms in Northern California lake SCCWRP and its partners have launched the second sampling phase of a two-year study investigating the environmental and genetic factors that are driving the proliferation of ecologically disruptive, toxin-producing cyanobacterial ... More |
Three L.A.-area lakes the focus of intensive sampling to better understand bloom events SCCWRP has selected three Los Angeles-area lakes that will be the focus of intensive sampling this summer to better understand the underlying factors that promote ecologically disruptive cyanobacterial bloom events ... More |
National HABs symposium co-convened by SCCWRP attracts more than 300 participants A special national scientific meeting on harmful algal blooms (HABs) that was co-convened and co-facilitated by SCCWRP attracted more than 300 researchers, students and managers over a three-day period in ... More |
HABs image recognition software under development to support monitoring network SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to develop image recognition software that can autonomously identify and count harmful algal bloom (HAB) species in marine waters, part of an ongoing ... More |
SCCWRP asked to host national workshop on transitioning eDNA to management applications SCCWRP has been asked to host a national scientific workshop next year focused on helping water-quality managers make use of the DNA that aquatic organisms shed into their environment – ... More |
DNA-based community fingerprinting used to link Mexican sewage to U.S. beach pollution SCCWRP and its partners have tracked sewage from a wastewater treatment plant in Mexico to south San Diego County beach water – a proof-of-concept study that illustrates the power of ... More |
Consensus reached on how to set thresholds for aquatic life exposed to microplastics A group of international experts on aquatic microplastics pollution has reached consensus on a recommended framework that California could use to implement health-based thresholds that explain when microplastics contamination at ... More |
Scientific foundation established to question California shellfish water-quality objective SCCWRP and its partners have completed a study that calls into question the appropriateness of a bacterial water-quality numeric objective designed to protect the health of people who consume shellfish ... More |
Bight partnerships to expand understanding of acidification The Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program is partnering with three other West Coast marine monitoring groups this summer to produce the most comprehensive picture to date of how ocean ... More |
Phase 2 sampling underway for study examining how to update copper concentration limits for streams SCCWRP and its partners have begun collecting water quality data from three additional watersheds in the Los Angeles region as part of an ongoing effort to evaluate the feasibility of ... More |
Draft SOPs developed for monitoring estuaries statewide SCCWRP and its partners have developed a set of standardized methods for collecting field data on the health of California’s coastal estuaries, part of an ongoing effort to develop a ... More |
Bight ’18 study documents domoic acid across coastal ocean seafloor The Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program has completed a study examining how a toxin produced by a certain ubiquitous type of marine algae can settle and stick to ... More |
Method being developed to quantify water-quality benefits of turf replacements SCCWRP and its partners have launched a study with the County of San Diego to develop a method for measuring the water-quality benefits associated with replacing residential turf grass with ... More |
SCCWRP asked to host upcoming international conference on stormwater modeling SCCWRP has been asked to organize and host an international conference in early 2022 that will focus on improving modeling of urban stormwater drainage systems. The triennial Urban Drainage Modeling ... More |
Effort launched to link glucocorticoid receptor bioassay to biological impacts in fish SCCWRP and its partners completed an initial round of lab experiments in March for a study investigating how the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) assay could be used to provide an early-warning ... More |
Methods to be standardized for 3 additional bioanalytical screening tools SCCWRP and its partners have launched a two-year effort to develop standardized methods for screening water bodies for bioactive chemical contaminants using three bioanalytical screening tools – an effort to ... More |
Modeling effort examining role of kelp farms in potentially mitigating coastal acidification SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to integrate a pair of Southern California Bight computer models as part of an ongoing study examining how future offshore kelp farms could ... More |
Workshop teaching stakeholders how to evaluate uncertainty in acidification modeling SCCWRP and two of its member agencies have helped launch a multi-part workshop to teach coastal water-quality managers how to evaluate uncertainty in a set of West Coast models that ... More |
Stream causal assessment tool under development to ID likely causes of degradation SCCWRP and its partners have begun developing a user-friendly, web-based tool to help managers rapidly evaluate the likely vs. unlikely causes of degraded biological condition in streams. The web interface ... More |
SCCWRP guiding development of DNA-based stream bioassessment programs in Alaska SCCWRP has begun working with the federal Bureau of Land Management in Alaska to build capacity to evaluate the health of waterways using DNA-based tools for conducting routine bioassessment work. ... More |
Tool released to help determine whether streams subject to Clean Water Act oversight A SCCWRP-developed tool that can help watershed managers determine which streams the federal government has jurisdiction to regulate under the Clean Water Act has been released in beta form for ... More |
Agreement reached on process for evaluating environmental flow needs of L.A. River A diverse coalition of water-quality managers has reached agreement on a scientific process for evaluating whether flows in the Los Angeles River can be reduced for water-recycling purposes while simultaneously ... More |
Study offers insights for measuring COVID-19 in wastewater, reducing variability SCCWRP and its partners have developed an improved understanding of what contributes to sources of variability in methods for measuring COVID-19 virus levels in wastewater streams – key insights that ... More |
International study to inform State microplastics policy The State Water Resources Control Board has begun working to develop a draft policy requiring microplastics to be monitored in drinking water following an international, SCCWRP-facilitated study that evaluated multiple ... More |
Algae DNA being sequenced to build molecular version of stream health scoring tool SCCWRP and its partners have begun sequencing the DNA of hundreds of stream algae samples in preparation for building a molecular version of the statewide Algal Stream Condition Index scoring ... More |
Workplan developed for third cycle of SMC’s regional stream monitoring program The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has finalized plans for the third cycle of its Regional Watershed Monitoring Program that kicks off this spring. The cyclical program’s workplan – ... More |
Prototype L.A. County tool for rating BMP performance undergoing testing, calibration SCCWRP has begun working with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works to test and calibrate a new, SCCWRP-developed index scoring tool that rates the overall performance of various ... More |
COVID-19 wastewater study investigating sources of variability when quantifying virus counts SCCWRP and its partners have begun investigating potential sources of variability in how the COVID-19 virus in wastewater is collected, preserved and quantified – part of an ongoing national study ... More |
Wet-weather sampling initiated to look for sewer biofilm in San Diego watershed SCCWRP and its partners have launched an initial round of wet-weather sampling in the San Diego River watershed to investigate whether the microbial community that grows inside nearby sewer pipes ... More |
Researchers reviewing data from international microplastics measurement methods study An international team of researchers working to develop standardized methods for measuring microplastic particles in aquatic environments has begun meeting to review the results of a recent laboratory intercalibration study ... More |
Non-targeted analysis used to detect bioactive contaminants in Bight ’18 sediment SCCWRP and its partners have completed screening sediment samples collected during the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program for contaminants using non-targeted chemical analysis. The work, completed in December, ... More |
Study examines how to alter sediment dredging in wetlands to offset rising sea levels SCCWRP and the University of California, Irvine have completed a four-year study exploring how altering sediment dredging practices in coastal wetlands vulnerable to sea level rise could reduce anticipated ecological ... More |
New phase of West Coast ocean modeling initiative to focus on OAH’s biological impacts A research team that has been modeling how ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) are expected to intensify along the West Coast in the coming years is moving into a new ... More |
Workshop being planned on how to evaluate uncertainty for acidification modeling initiative SCCWRP member agencies have begun planning a workshop to better understand how to evaluate uncertainty in a set of West Coast models that predicts how marine life could be adversely ... More |
SCCWRP asked to co-organize special, virtual HABs national meeting SCCWRP has been asked to co-convene and co-facilitate a special national meeting on harmful algal blooms (HABs) this spring following a decision by the National HAB Committee to postpone its ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year effort to determine the degree to which human modifications to Central Valley watersheds are triggering harmful algal blooms and other eutrophication issues ... More |
Draft environmental flow recommendations for L.A. River to be released in February A research team that has been working for the past two years to determine the minimum environmental flows needed to protect the Los Angeles River’s ecological health and recreational benefits ... More |
Beta version of stream flow classification tool released, to be rolled out across U.S. Southwest SCCWRP and its partners have completed development of the beta version of a tool that can rapidly distinguish among perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams in the U.S. Southwest, paving the ... More |
Regional monitoring network being built to evaluate BMP performance The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has begun building a regional monitoring network for tracking the performance of a wide variety of stormwater BMPs (best management practices) – a ... More |
Study to probe quality-assurance issues with Ceriodaphnia toxicity test SCCWRP has launched a two-year statewide effort to ensure that laboratories conducting a toxicity test commonly used to monitor the water quality of wastewater and stormwater discharges are producing consistently ... More |
Study illustrates power of non-targeted analysis to help identify toxic chemicals A team of researchers that includes SCCWRP has completed a high-profile, first-of-its-kind case study demonstrating how to use an analytical method known as non-targeted chemical analysis to help identify specific ... More |
Bight ’18 finds local sportfish within ‘safe to eat’ thresholds Contamination levels in the tissues of commonly caught Southern California sportfish were found to be within “safe to eat” thresholds for consumption at least once a week during the Southern ... More |
Two Bight ’18 Sediment Quality reports nearing completion The Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program is preparing to publish the third volume of its Sediment Quality assessment reports by the end of the year, with a fourth ... More |
Monitoring framework drafted for assessing health of estuaries statewide SCCWRP and its partners have developed a proposed statewide monitoring framework for assessing the health of California’s coastal estuaries, including two dozen estuarine Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The draft framework, ... More |
Study to build foundational understanding of microplastics pollution in two major rivers SCCWRP and its partners are initiating a three-year study to identify the levels, types and distribution of microplastics in two major Southern California rivers – part of a broader effort ... More |
Effort to link bioassays to biological impacts in fish expands to San Gabriel River SCCWRP and its partners have expanded their effort to understand how bioanalytical cell screening technology can be used to provide early evidence that chemical contaminants in river water are potentially ... More |
Bight discharge data set significantly expanded to support acidification modeling effort A team of researchers that developed a computer model to predict how the Southern California Bight will be affected by ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) has significantly expanded and updated ... More |
Effort underway to develop a computer model for predicting toxin-producing marine algal blooms Researchers have completed the first phase of development of a computer model that predicts when and where toxins produced by a common type of marine algal bloom can be expected ... More |
HABs sampling effort targets Labor Day cyanotoxin levels in L.A.-area lakes SCCWRP has completed the first phase of sampling for a three-year study examining algal toxin levels in Los Angeles-area lakes surrounding the Labor Day holiday, when recreational use of the ... More |
Stream vulnerability study launched to aid in risk evaluation in San Diego region SCCWRP has initiated a three-year study examining how future expected changes in stream flow patterns across the San Diego region will impact sensitive aquatic species and habitats, with a goal ... More |
Statewide environmental flows framework released in draft form, to be finalized by end of year A proposed statewide framework for bringing consistency and standardization to how environmental flow targets are set for California streams has been released in draft form for review by the end-user ... More |
Draft protocols developed for standardizing DNA-based sampling, analysis methods A statewide workgroup led by SCCWRP that has been working to standardize DNA-based sampling and analysis methods for routine aquatic monitoring applications has released its first set of draft protocols ... More |
Resources unveiled to boost utility, accessibility of stream bioassessment data statewide SCCWRP has unveiled a comprehensive set of resources intended to overcome common end-user challenges associated with analyzing, accessing and interpreting stream bioassessment data – challenges that have stymied more widespread ... More |
Workshop convened to develop expert consensus on microplastics health effects SCCWRP and its partners have convened a multi-part science workshop to build international expert consensus on the health-based thresholds at which microplastics of different sizes, shapes and compositions can be ... More |
Proposed statewide strategy developed to boost capacity for monitoring freshwater HABs SCCWRP and the State Water Board have developed a proposed statewide strategy for boosting California’s capacity to monitor the growing threat posed by harmful algal blooms (HABs) in California freshwater ... More |
Effort launched to quantify microfracture leaks in sewers SCCWRP has partnered with the County of San Diego to explore how to accurately detect potential microfracture leaks in underground sewer pipes – the latest step in an ongoing, multi-year ... More |
Monitoring framework being developed to assess health of estuaries statewide SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to develop a standardized, statewide monitoring framework for assessing the condition of California’s coastal estuaries, including the State’s 24 estuarine Marine Protected Areas ... More |
Second Bight ’18 Sediment Quality assessment report published The Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program has published the second of its Sediment Quality assessment reports, and two others are undergoing internal review later this summer. The Bight ... More |
Statewide effort launched to improve monitoring programs that support adaptive stormwater management SCCWRP has launched a statewide effort examining how to design monitoring programs that can optimally support stormwater managers’ adaptive management programs, where watershed management plans, including BMPs, are implemented on ... More |
Study launched with EPA to improve mechanistic understanding of bioretention planters Southern California researchers working to optimize the ability of bioretention planters to treat stormwater runoff have launched a two-year project with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and ... More |
Wastewater samples collected from 9 local POTWs to build national COVID-19 surveillance system SCCWRP and its partners have collected and preserved wastewater influent samples from nine Southern California treatment plants over the past four months for a national study investigating how wastewater influent ... More |
Effluent sampling completed for study examining dispersal patterns of wastewater plume SCCWRP and the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) have completed a comprehensive round of in-plant effluent sampling for a three-year study exploring how the dilution and mixing patterns of OCSD’s ... More |
Ocean’s ‘breathability’ for anchovies being used to track impacts of climate change A research team that includes SCCWRP has found that populations of Northern Anchovy fish rise and fall in predictable ways in response to how “breathable” the ocean water is for ... More |
A new tool that can rapidly distinguish among perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams in the U.S. Southwest has received preliminary endorsement from a technical steering committee, paving the way for ... More |
Study probing how to apply bioassessment tools to modified channels statewide SCCWRP has launched a three-year effort to explore when and how bioassessment scoring tools should be used to evaluate the health of California streams that have been modified through channel ... More |
New passive sampling approach developed to measure cyanotoxins in freshwater systems SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a proof-of-concept study that a newer, more experimental form of passive sampling technology known as o-DGT can be used reliably to measure levels ... More |
Three-tiered framework developed for assessing health of seagrass beds SCCWRP has developed a three-tiered framework incorporating bioassessment methods to help environmental managers across coastal California comprehensively evaluate the health of eelgrass and other types of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). ... More |
Statewide HABs early-warning system being developed SCCWRP and its partners have launched a two-year pilot study to develop a statewide early-warning system for coastal harmful algal blooms (HABs) that relies on autonomous microscopes to alert water-quality ... More |
SMC study suggests not all strategies to protect health of erosion-prone streams created equal The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has completed an analysis shedding light on whether next-generation management strategies for reducing erosion risk in streams could be more effective at protecting ... More |
Pilot study incorporates eDNA identification methods into routine stream monitoring SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a proof-of-concept study that regional stream monitoring programs can be used to track endangered and invasive aquatic species using the environmental DNA – ... More |
Study shows acidification triggering adverse biological impacts in Dungeness crab larvae A three-year study examining the sensitivity of Dungeness crab larvae to ocean acidification along the U.S. West Coast has found that this commercially important species already is being adversely impacted ... More |
Wastewater being used to track COVID-19 infections A national research team that includes SCCWRP has begun investigating how wastewater influent could be used to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in communities in near real time. The ... More |
Initial round of bioanalytical screening completed for Bight ’18 sediment, fish samples SCCWRP and its partners have completed screening Southern California Bight sediment and fish tissue samples for chemical contaminants that activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor – the first of three bioanalytical ... More |
First Bight ’18 Sediment Quality assessment report published, three others nearing completion The Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program has published the first of its Sediment Quality assessment reports, with three others expected to undergo internal review this summer. The Bight ... More |
Strategy developed for how to quantify stormwater capture statewide SCCWRP and its partners have developed a six-part strategy that California could use to begin tracking how much stormwater is being captured statewide, part of an ongoing effort to improve ... More |
Monitoring effort underway in study examining how to update copper loading limits for streams SCCWRP has begun collecting water-quality monitoring data on copper levels in Los Angeles-area streams to support an ongoing study examining the feasibility of using a toxicity analysis method known as ... More |
Study offers insights into origins of contaminants found in San Diego Bay fish tissue SCCWRP and its partners have completed a two-year study shedding light on what portion of the legacy contaminants found in fish tissue in San Diego Bay is coming from contaminated ... More |
Heatmapping capabilities developed to capture dispersal patterns of wastewater effluent plume SCCWRP has developed computer mapping capabilities that capture the dispersal patterns of the Orange County Sanitation District’s wastewater effluent plume, the second phase of a three-year study exploring how the ... More |
Signs developed to warn visitors about harmful algae in recreational water bodies SCCWRP and California’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program have developed a series of customized signs for water bodies vulnerable to toxin-producing algal blooms that are designed to raise awareness of ... More |
DNA-based methods used to identify toxin-producing cyanobacteria in Northern California rivers SCCWRP has completed a six-month pilot study with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board examining how to use DNA-based methods to identify the types of bacteria responsible for ... More |
Workgroup develops recommendations for statewide HABs monitoring strategy A workgroup tasked with developing a statewide strategy for monitoring harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater environments has reached consensus on how California should enhance existing its HABs monitoring infrastructure. ... More |
Initial analysis completed in effort to restore more natural flows to south O.C. streams SCCWRP has completed a screening-level analysis of how streams in southern Orange County have been altered from their historical hydrologic flow patterns, the first phase in an ongoing effort to ... More |
L.A. River environmental flows study receives key stakeholder endorsement A two-year study working to determine the potential ecological and recreational effects of diverting treated wastewater effluent and runoff from the Los Angeles River for water recycling purposes has received ... More |
Guidance developed on how to work through issues affecting usability of stream bioassessment data SCCWRP has developed detailed guidance for California watershed managers on how to identify and work through common factors that can affect the usability of stream bioassessment data, including when it’s ... More |
Panel develops recommendations for managing vegetation without glyphosate An expert advisory panel convened by SCCWRP to explore options for managing vegetation in Los Angeles County without using the herbicide glyphosate has developed a set of recommended alternative strategies. ... More |
Bight ’18 Sediment Quality element nearing completion on assessment reports The Sediment Quality element of the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program is scheduled to publish the first of its assessment reports this spring, with four other report volumes ... More |
First phase completed for study examining fate of bioactive CECs from treated wastewater effluent SCCWRP and the Orange County Sanitation District have completed the first phase of analysis for a one-year study examining whether bioactive chemical contaminants persist at detectable levels after being discharged ... More |
Study examining how to use Biotic Ligand Model to update copper loading limits in freshwater systems SCCWRP has launched a study examining the feasibility of using a toxicity modeling tool known as the Biotic Ligand Model (BLM) to update copper loading limits for freshwater systems across ... More |
Toxicity analysis underway for study revisiting copper TMDL in Marina del Rey Harbor Researchers have begun analyzing toxicity data for a SCCWRP-led study examining whether existing regulatory targets for dissolved copper in Marina del Rey Harbor should be modified to more accurately reflect ... More |
Ecological health of areas near offshore oil platforms evaluated SCCWRP and the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have completed a two-year study examining the ecological health of the area surrounding offshore oil platforms in the Santa Barbara ... More |
Expert panel to develop acidification thresholds for crustaceans A scientific advisory panel of leading global experts on crustaceans will convene at SCCWRP on February 10-12 to begin developing consensus on biologically relevant thresholds at which these marine organisms ... More |
Acidification model being updated to reflect present-day conditions Researchers working to develop a computer model that predicts how the Southern California Bight will be affected by ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) have begun updating the model to reflect ... More |
Non-targeted analysis to be tested in Ventura County source tracking study SCCWRP has launched a study with Ventura County exploring how the unique chemical patterns inside storm drains might be used to identify and track sources of human fecal contamination in ... More |
Volunteer HABs monitoring program under development for California freshwater environments SCCWRP and California’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) have launched an effort to develop a voluntary, citizen science-driven monitoring program to boost statewide capacity for monitoring harmful algal blooms ... More |
Causes of cyanotoxin-producing blooms to be investigated in Northern California lake SCCWRP and its partners have launched a two-year study to investigate the environmental factors that are driving the proliferation of ecologically disruptive, toxin-producing cyanobacterial blooms in Northern California’s Clear Lake. ... More |
DNA-based methods for identifying algae shown to be reliable, possibly more insightful SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a proof-of-concept study that using DNA methods to conduct algae-based assessments of stream health offers a reliable, cost-effective alternative to traditional biological assessment ... More |
Study shows freshwater cyanotoxins spread to marine environments SCCWRP and its partners have completed a three-year study showing that toxins produced by freshwater cyanobacterial blooms are spreading through waterways in California and mixing with marine toxins in downstream ... More |
Flow duration tool providing foundation for change in federal oversight of streams A SCCWRP-developed approach for determining the flow duration patterns of streams in the U.S. Southwest is serving as the technical centerpiece in an ongoing effort to change how the federal ... More |
Statewide framework to be used to inform flow management for south Orange County streams Watershed managers working to restore more natural flow patterns to streams in southern Orange County have agreed to use a proposed statewide framework to pursue development of environmental flow targets ... More |
SMC develops roadmap to improve runoff water quality The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has unveiled a comprehensive, multi-faceted research agenda that lays out a vision and roadmap for how the region’s stormwater management community will collaborate ... More |
SCCWRP to contribute to report on balancing demands for water resources in California SCCWRP has been invited to contribute to a statewide report that will examine ways to balance competing demands on California’s limited water resources. The Public Policy Institute of California began ... More |
Statewide environmental flows framework featured in California water resilience report An ongoing effort by SCCWRP and its partners to develop a standardized approach for setting environmental flow targets for streams statewide is being featured in a new State report intended ... More |
SCCWRP reflects on progress, achievements over 50 years SCCWRP celebrated its 50th anniversary in October with a special program at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach that highlighted the agency’s progress and achievements over the past ... More |
International study kicks off to standardize microplastics monitoring methods SCCWRP and its partners have launched an international study to develop standardized methods for measuring microplastic particles in aquatic environments, an effort that has the potential to improve the accuracy ... More |
Study underscores complexity of predicting acidification’s impacts on marine organisms SCCWRP and its partners have completed a three-year study examining the vulnerability of fisheries in the world’s polar regions to ocean acidification (OA) – an analysis that has illuminated the ... More |
Guidance prepared on how to use bioanalytical assays to screen for contaminants SCCWRP has partnered with the National Water Research Institute (NWRI) to co-author guidance for California’s water recycling community on how to incorporate bioanalytical screening technology into routine water-quality monitoring. The ... More |
Study examining spread of microplastic debris through aquatic environments SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year study to examine how microplastic debris is transported via waterways to the coastal ocean and what happens to this pollution once it ... More |
Sites being identified for evaluating effectiveness of stormwater BMPs The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has begun identifying about a half-dozen sites that will serve as case studies for examining the effectiveness of stormwater BMPs (best management practices) ... More |
Field sampling completed for shellfish water-quality study in Newport Bay SCCWRP and its partners have completed field sampling for a study examining whether a water-quality standard designed to protect the health of people who consume shellfish from Newport Bay in ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to confirm the identity of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and bacterial genes in treated wastewater effluent for an ongoing study examining whether this material is ... More |
Study to evaluate performance of film-based passive samplers for measuring microcystins SCCWRP and its partners have launched a two-year study to evaluate the performance of novel, film-based passive sampling technology for measuring a class of cyanotoxins known as microcystins. The passive ... More |
New version of sediment quality assessment tool developed to streamline analyses SCCWRP has developed a new, interactive web version of a web tool to assist environmental managers in assessing the human health impacts of contaminated sediment at a particular site. The ... More |
Dynamic exposure lab used to simulate pH buffering effects of kelp forests on oyster larvae SCCWRP has used its new, state-of-the-art dynamic exposure laboratory to study how underwater kelp forests could lessen the effects of ocean acidification (OA) on oysters and other marine calcifiers. The ... More |
Computer model shown to simulate dispersal patterns of wastewater plume in coastal ocean SCCWRP has used a computer model that simulates biogeochemical cycling in the Southern California Bight to predict the dispersal patterns of the Orange County Sanitation District’s wastewater effluent plume. The ... More |
Committee offers guidance on how to increase managers’ confidence in acidification modeling effort A stakeholder committee working to help researchers evaluate whether land-based pollution sources are influencing ocean acidification and hypoxia in Southern California’s coastal ocean has provided initial feedback about how to ... More |
Case study to develop eutrophication targets to better protect Elkhorn Slough estuary SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year effort to develop nutrient loading and flow targets intended to reduce eutrophication in the Elkhorn Slough estuary that drains to Monterey Bay. ... More |
Advisory group convened to consider developing cyanotoxin thresholds for aquatic life SCCWRP has convened a technical advisory group to study whether the State Water Board should develop cyanotoxin monitoring thresholds that better protect vulnerable aquatic life from the impacts of ecologically ... More |
Ephemeral stream bioassessment tools show promise for monitoring oil spills SCCWRP and its partners at California State University, Monterey Bay, have shown in a proof-of-concept study that bioassessment tools designed to evaluate the health of ephemeral streams have the potential ... More |
Stream flow duration tool being adapted for use in U.S. Great Plains region SCCWRP and its partners have begun adapting a tool that can rapidly distinguish among intermittent, ephemeral and perennial streams for use in the U.S. Great Plains region, building on SCCWRP’s ... More |
Study launched to determine chances of improving condition of Bay Area streams SCCWRP has been invited by stormwater managers in the San Francisco Bay Area to participate in a one-year study that will shed light on where managers are more vs. less ... More |
EPA method being added to method evaluation study for tracking trash in watersheds SCCWRP and the San Francisco Estuary Institute will evaluate a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency method for quantifying trash in the environment as part of Year 2 of a study seeking ... More |
Study launched to develop standardized approach for tracking tobacco, e-cigarette waste in waterways SCCWRP and the San Francisco Estuary Institute have launched a year-long study to develop a standardized approach for tracking tobacco and e-cigarette waste in California waterways. The study, which began ... More |
Review of data underway for Bight ’18 Sediment Quality element The Bight ’18 Sediment Quality element is on track to finalize and publish its final assessment reports by spring 2020. The Sediment Quality element of the Southern California Bight 2018 ... More |
SMC’s renews Master Agreement through 2024 The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition in July renewed its Master Agreement for another five years, continuing the SMC’s research and monitoring agenda through 2024. SMC member agencies include eight ... More |
Participants of the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program’s Microbiology element will initiate field sampling in August for a study evaluating the relevance and reliability of using coliphage viruses ... More |
Passive samplers used to detect low levels of sediment-associated contaminants SCCWRP and its partners have shown that passive sampling technology can be used to detect chemical contamination in San Diego Bay sediment, a key finding in an ongoing study exploring ... More |
Recreational beneficial uses analysis completed for L.A. River environmental flows study SCCWRP and its partners have completed an assessment of the recreational beneficial uses provided by the Los Angeles River as part of an ongoing study evaluating the implications of diverting ... More |
DNA-based algae identification methods show promise for stream condition assessments SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a proof-of-concept study that DNA sequencing methods have the potential to be incorporated into algae-based assessments of stream condition. During the multi-year study ... More |
Ephemeral streams condition index being developed using locally collected bioindicator data SCCWRP and its partners have begun using biological indicator data collected from dry streams across Southern California to refine the design of a set of new tools for assessing ephemeral ... More |
Study completed to characterize benthic infaunal communities living in Bight continental slope The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and SCCWRP have completed a three-year project to comprehensively characterize sediment-dwelling infaunal communities that live in the continental slope region of the ... More |
Dynamic exposure lab built to replicate fluctuating environmental conditions SCCWRP has constructed a state-of-the-art dynamic exposure laboratory to study how aquatic organisms respond to fluctuations in pH, dissolved oxygen and other environmental parameters in a controlled setting – a ... More |
Modeling shows nutrient discharges can influence coastal acidification, hypoxia A computer modeling initiative to understand how Southern California’s coastal ocean will be affected by ocean acidification and hypoxia has shown that land-based sources of nutrients can have a measurable ... More |
Ocean currents model to be evaluated as part of study examining Tijuana pollution flows SCCWRP and its partners will use field data from an ongoing study tracking persistent fecal contamination at Imperial Beach near the U.S.-Mexico border to evaluate a computer model that predicts ... More |
Three key stream condition indicators integrated via index The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) and SCCWRP have developed a new assessment tool that synthesizes three key lines of evidence about the ecological health of wadeable streams to ... More |
Tool developed to assess BMP performance effectiveness SCCWRP has developed an integrated web-based tool intended to help California’s stormwater management community assess the effectiveness of vegetated swales, permeable pavement and other best management practices (BMPs) in removing ... More |
Science products endorsed as foundation for crafting statewide stream policy An expert scientific panel has endorsed a set of draft science products developed by SCCWRP as a strong technical foundation for crafting a State Water Board policy intended to better ... More |
International microplastics measurement study being developed following 2-day workshop A group of international experts on aquatic microplastic pollution that convened at SCCWRP for a two-day workshop in April has begun laying the groundwork to build scientific consensus around methods ... More |
Newport Bay study to examine scientific basis for shellfish water-quality standard SCCWRP and its partners will launch a study in May evaluating whether a water-quality standard designed to protect the health of people who consume shellfish from Newport Bay in Orange ... More |
Bioassessment scores to be extrapolated for 4 modified streams via statistical modeling SCCWRP and its partners have launched a one-year study to determine the geographical extent to which ecological condition scores calculated for four modified streams in California may be extrapolated ... More |
L.A. River environmental flows study holds first stakeholder meeting A two-year study that seeks to determine the potential ecological and recreational effects of diverting treated wastewater effluent and runoff from the Los Angeles River for water recycling purposes held ... More |
Beta version of stream geomorphology tool developed to aid in setting environmental flow targets SCCWRP and its partners have developed a beta version of a tool that can provide information on geomorphic structure for stream sites across coastal California, part of an ongoing effort ... More |
Study examining how to use flow-capture BMPs to improve San Juan Creek flow patterns SCCWRP and its partners have launched a study examining how to implement flow-capture BMPs (best management practices) in San Juan Creek in Orange County to restore more natural flow patterns ... More |
Workgroup to design statewide HABs monitoring program California’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) has convened a workgroup to be facilitated by SCCWRP that will work toward developing a statewide strategy for monitoring harmful algal blooms (HABs) ... More |
Modelers generate initial assessment of nutrient effects on acidification in Bight Researchers working to develop a computer model that predicts how the Southern California Bight will be affected by ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) have generated an initial assessment shedding light ... More |
Acidification vulnerability assessment completed for Salish Sea marine calcifiers SCCWRP and its partners have completed a year-long study examining how to assess the vulnerability of marine calcifying communities in the Pacific Northwest’s Salish Sea to ocean acidification (OA), including ... More |
Climate change’s impacts on sensitive aquatic species modeled for L.A. region SCCWRP and its partners have completed a study examining how changing rainfall patterns and temperatures in the Los Angeles region stemming from climate change will impact sensitive aquatic species and ... More |
Lab study to simulate marine organisms’ exposure to multiple stressors triggered by climate change SCCWRP and its partners are launching a one-year laboratory study this summer that will simulate how marine organisms are impacted by ocean acidification and multiple other environmental changes triggered by ... More |
EPA grants final approval to framework for assessing sediment’s impacts on humans The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has signed off on a standardized sediment assessment framework intended to better protect the health of humans who consume seafood caught in California’s enclosed bays ... More |
Film-based passive sampling for tracking cyanotoxins to be evaluated at L.A.-area lakes SCCWRP and its partners have identified at least two Los Angeles-area lakes where a class of cyanotoxins known as microcystins appears to be present, paving the way for researchers to ... More |
Effort to model health risks to Inner Cabrillo beachgoers wraps up SCCWRP and its partners have completed a three-year effort to identify the sources of persistent fecal contamination at Inner Cabrillo Beach in Los Angeles County and to model health risks ... More |
Sampling completed for study documenting antibiotic-resistant bacteria Participants of a SCCWRP-led study examining whether viable antibiotic-resistant bacteria – and the genes that code for antibiotic resistance – are being discharged into the environment following the wastewater treatment ... More |
Bight ’18 sediment, fish samples to be screened using bioanalytical assays SCCWRP and its partners in June will begin screening sediment and sportfish tissue samples collected from across the Southern California Bight for bioactive chemical contaminants using bioanalytical screening assays. More ... More |
Bight ’18 HABs study preparing to track freshwater cyanotoxins in coastal zone The Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program’s Harmful Algal Blooms element has tentatively greenlighted a study that will explore whether freshwater cyanotoxins are being transported in the coastal zone. ... More |
Bight ’18 pilot study to assess how acidification is impacting marine calcifiers The Ocean Acidification element of the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program has launched a pilot study examining how ocean acidification is impacting sensitive marine calcifiers in Southern California’s ... More |
SMC regional monitoring to include stormwater BMP effectiveness evaluation The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition has begun designing the next five-year cycle of its stream monitoring program to include a regional evaluation of the effectiveness of stormwater BMPs (best ... More |
Report outlines strategy for protecting coastal wetlands Coastal resources managers have an opportunity to increase the total size of Southern California’s coastal wetlands in the coming decades even as rising sea levels permanently submerge existing wetland areas, ... More |
Science workshop to jump-start planning for microplastics monitoring in California Leading international experts on aquatic microplastic pollution will convene at SCCWRP this spring to begin exploring how California could monitor microplastic particles in drinking water and the coastal ocean, a ... More |
New modeling tool to help speed up causal assessment work SCCWRP and its partners have developed a statistical modeling tool for conducting causal assessments that could help shave a year or more off the time required to narrow down potential ... More |
Puget Sound study shows coastal estuaries could be impacted by acidification SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a set of preliminary analyses of Washington’s Puget Sound that coastal estuary environments have the potential to be impacted by ocean acidification (OA) ... More |
Study examining extrapolation limits of bioassessment scores in engineered channels SCCWRP and its partners have launched a study exploring the spatial extent to which ecological condition scores calculated for sites in engineered and modified channels may be extrapolated to upstream ... More |
SCCWRP participating in EPA study on how green infrastructure influences stream water quality SCCWRP has been asked to participate in a national study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development evaluating whether low impact development (LID) solutions for improving ... More |
Effort launched to develop statewide monitoring strategy for freshwater HABs SCCWRP and its partners have kicked off an effort to develop a statewide strategy California’s water-quality management community could use to systematically assess water bodies’ susceptibility to HABs. The initiative, ... More |
Expert panel reviewing science tools for proposed stream biointegrity-biostimulatory policy A panel of scientific experts has launched a comprehensive review of a suite of technical products co-authored by SCCWRP that are intended to support the State Water Board in developing ... More |
Modeling run underway to predict acidification’s impacts in Bight SCCWRP and its partners have begun running a computationally intensive, high-resolution computer model that predicts how the Southern California Bight will be affected by ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH). The ... More |
Study launched to model how effluent plume dispersal will change with more wastewater recycling SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year study examining how the dilution and mixing patterns of the Orange County Sanitation District’s wastewater effluent plume will change in response to ... More |
Advisory committee endorses workplan for study revisiting copper TMDL in Marina del Rey Harbor A technical advisory committee has endorsed the draft workplan for a study that will examine whether existing regulatory targets for dissolved copper in Marina del Rey Harbor should be modified ... More |
SCCWRP aiding effort to transfer bioanalytical assay technology to end users SCCWRP has been working to build the California water-quality management community’s capacity to screen for bioactive contaminants using bioanalytical cell assays, a response to a State Water Board decision to ... More |
Fecal contamination study shows sewers have unique microbial, chemical characteristics SCCWRP and its member agencies have shown in a pair of initial proof-of-concept studies that sanitary sewer systems have unique microbial and chemical characteristics that may help water-quality managers track ... More |
Scoring tool developed to quantify habitat condition SCCWRP and its partners have developed a statewide scoring tool for quantifying the condition of a stream’s physical habitat, enabling watershed managers for the first time to readily interpret and ... More |
Science tools for proposed stream biointegrity-biostimulatory policy released in draft form The State Water Board has published draft versions of a suite of technical reports, journal manuscripts and tools co-authored by SCCWRP that will serve as the technical foundation for the ... More |
New workgroup to standardize DNA-based methods for routine aquatic monitoring The California Water Quality Monitoring Council has formed a statewide workgroup to be led by SCCWRP that will examine how to bring greater consistency and standardization to DNA-based analysis methods ... More |
Environmental flows study to determine impacts of diverting discharges from L.A. River Water-quality managers that work in the Los Angeles River watershed have initiated a two-year study to determine the potential ecological and recreational effects of diverting treated wastewater effluent and runoff ... More |
Ephemeral stream scoring tools being transitioned to management use A new set of tools co-developed by SCCWRP to assess the condition of ephemeral streams when they are dry is being transitioned to pilot testing by the end-user management community. ... More |
Effort launched to develop West Coast DNA barcoding library for marine invertebrates The Smithsonian Institute has partnered with SCCWRP, the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program and the Western Association of Marine Labs to begin developing a DNA barcoding library that ... More |
Agreement reached on DNA processing, analysis methods for stream food webs study The technical advisory group for a study examining how ecological stress alters the complexity and interconnectedness of stream food webs has reached agreement on the DNA processing and analysis methods ... More |
Santa Margarita River study examining how to develop ‘climate-ready’ eutrophication targets SCCWRP and its partners have begun investigating how climate change could influence efforts to reduce eutrophication in the Santa Margarita River watershed, part of a five-year study exploring how to ... More |
Expert panel convened to develop acidification thresholds for echinoderms SCCWRP has convened a nine-member panel of leading experts on sea stars, urchins and other echinoderms to reach agreement on how to use these organisms to track ocean acidification’s biological ... More |
Acidification modeling effort being expanded to toxic marine algal blooms Researchers working to develop a West Coast computer model that predicts how land-based nutrient sources influence coastal ocean acidification and hypoxia are expanding the effort to examine the potential role ... More |
Advisory committee to review workplan for study revisiting copper TMDL in Marina del Rey Harbor A technical advisory committee in December is scheduled to review the draft workplan for a study examining whether existing regulatory targets for dissolved copper in Marina del Rey Harbor ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners in October completed the second and final round of field sampling for a study investigating whether legacy contaminants found in the tissue of San Diego Bay ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year study to evaluate potentially cheaper, more precise sampling and analysis methods for tracking cyanotoxin levels in streams and lakes in the Los ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have initiated a year-long study to investigate whether fecal contamination at Imperial Beach near the U.S.-Mexico border can be linked to primary-treated effluent being released into ... More |
Field sampling completed for Bight ’18 Sediment Quality element Participants of the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program’s Sediment Quality element have finished collecting seafloor sediment samples from about 400 sites across the Southern California Bight. The field ... More |
Bight ’18 HABs element developing method to track impacts of cyanotoxins in coastal waters The Harmful Algal Blooms element of the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program has begun working to develop an assessment method for tracking the ecological impacts of freshwater cyanotoxins ... More |
Participants of the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program’s Microbiology element have begun laboratory training for a study that will evaluate the relevance and reliability of using coliphage viruses ... More |
Effort launched to develop prototype causal assessment screening tool SCCWRP and its partners in October began developing a management tool for rapidly narrowing down potential causes of degraded ecological condition in California streams and coastal waters, part of an ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have completed the first round of field sampling for a two-year study investigating whether legacy contaminants found in the tissue of San Diego Bay fish are ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a proof-of-concept study that a flow classification tool that can rapidly distinguish intermittent streams from ephemeral streams in the Pacific Northwest is feasible ... More |
Framework approved to assess sediment’s impacts on humans The State Water Board has approved a standardized sediment assessment framework intended to better protect the health of humans who consume seafood caught in California’s enclosed bays and estuaries, the ... More |
Coastal vulnerability to storm surge being documented at 10 sites SCCWRP and its project partners have begun using camera stations and water-level loggers set up at 10 Southern California sites to collect data on how El Nino storm surges this ... More |
Workgroup for San Diego flow ecology study begins meeting SCCWRP in November facilitated the inaugural meeting of a San Diego-area workgroup that will be working to ascertain the minimum flow requirements necessary to sustain the ecological health of streams ... More |
SMC conducting trash surveys in watersheds to support Bight ’18 The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has launched trash sampling surveys in wadeable streams across coastal Southern California to support the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program’s efforts ... More |
Bight ’18 field sampling underway to assess sediment quality The sampling window for the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program opened July 1, with participants starting to collect seafloor sediments to evaluate the chemical, toxicological and biological health ... More |
Sampling underway for study examining uniqueness of microbial community inside sewer vs. storm drain SCCWRP and its partners have begun collecting samples from San Diego-area sanitary sewer and storm drain systems for a study investigating whether a unique microbial community is found inside each ... More |
First large-scale CEC screening study targeting marine environment incorporated into Bight ’18 Bioanalytical cell screening assays and non-targeted chemical analysis are being used for the first time to screen for CECs across the Southern California Bight as part of an expanded Bight ... More |
Discussions underway on how to implement proposed recycled water policy Water recycling agencies and State Water Board staff have begun discussing how to implement a proposed statewide policy that would require recycled water to be monitored using bioanalytical cell screening ... More |
Preliminary modeling tool unveiled to predict sea level rise’s impacts on wetlands SCCWRP and its partners have developed a preliminary computer modeling tool that enables coastal resources managers to predict how low-lying wetlands in Upper Newport Bay and the Tijuana River Estuary ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have completed a two-year study showing that pteropods, or sea snails, experience cellular and physiological stress as a result of multiple stressors exposure related to climate ... More |
Study evaluating potential of kelp forests to offset impacts of coastal ocean acidification West Coast researchers have completed the first year of field work for a three-year study examining whether planted kelp forests in Washington’s Puget Sound could help protect vulnerable shell-forming organisms ... More |
Effort launched to develop acidification thresholds for echinoderms SCCWRP and its partners have launched an effort to develop expert consensus on biologically relevant thresholds at which sea stars, urchins and other echinoderms can be expected to experience adverse ... More |
Signs of shell dissolution detected in Dungeness crab larvae Researchers have detected signs of dissolution in the carapace, or external shell, of Dungeness crab larvae in response to ocean acidification in the natural environment, the first such documentation that ... More |
Member agencies provide feedback to improve West Coast acidification model’s accuracy SCCWRP’s member agencies provided feedback in June to a team of West Coast ocean modelers on how to assess uncertainty in a computer model that predicts how the region’s coastal ... More |
Environmental flow targets developed to protect Santa Clara River Estuary A scientific review panel that includes participation by SCCWRP has completed an analysis of the environmental flow needs of the Santa Clara River Estuary. The flow target analysis, completed in ... More |
Stream geomorphology data being collected to aid watershed managers in setting flow targets SCCWRP and its partners have begun field sampling at coastal stream sites across California to collect data on geomorphic structure, part of an ongoing effort to develop a standardized framework ... More |
Study exploring how to dramatically streamline stream causal assessments SCCWRP and its partners have begun test-driving a novel approach to assessing stream health that has the potential to shave a year or more off the time required to determine ... More |
Study sheds light on how to improve DNA sequencing analysis methods to ID organisms SCCWRP and its partners have completed a two-year study shedding light on best-practices approaches for analyzing raw DNA sequencing data to identify the organisms present in an environmental sample, the ... More |
Stream food webs to be examined in study to better integrate stream assessment tools SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year effort to better integrate stream condition assessment tools in California by examining how ecological stress alters the complexity and interconnectedness of stream ... More |
Study launched to develop standardized approaches for tracking trash in watersheds SCCWRP and its partners have kicked off a three-year study to develop standardized statewide approaches for tracking the levels and types of trash found in watersheds. Researchers’ goal is to ... More |
Management impacts of stream biointegrity policies explored in new SMC report The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has released a comprehensive new report chronicling how the region’s stream management community will potentially be impacted by new and proposed changes to ... More |
Effort launched to better characterize linkage between bioassays and biological impacts in fish SCCWRP and its partners are launching a new round of exploratory work on bioanalytical cell screening technology to better understand how these assays can be adapted to provide early evidence ... More |
Bight ’18 keeps focus on key issues of management concern More than 80 environmental agencies will examine new and emerging developments in water-quality science and management during the 2018 cycle of the Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program, which initiates ... More |
New study probes origins of legacy sediment contaminants that bioaccumulate in fish SCCWRP and its partners have launched a two-year study to investigate whether legacy contaminants that occur in the tissue of fish in San Diego Bay are coming exclusively from contaminated ... More |
CEC panel informs proposed update to recycled water policy The State Water Board will consider updating California’s policy on monitoring contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in recycled water as early as this year based on the findings of an ... More |
Resolution of West Coast acidification model being increased to improve accuracy West Coast researchers working to develop a computer model that predicts how the region’s coastal waters will be affected by ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) have decided to increase the ... More |
Researchers assessing biological impacts of ocean acidification in the Salish Sea SCCWRP and its partners have launched an effort to assess the vulnerability of marine calcifying communities in the Pacific Northwest’s Salish Sea to ocean acidification, including whether land-based pollution sources ... More |
Set of models built for establishing nutrient loading targets for Santa Margarita River SCCWRP and its partners have finished assembling an integrated toolkit of mechanistic computer models and empirical statistical models that water-quality managers can use to optimally protect biological integrity and human ... More |
Study to explore optimal methods for monitoring cyanotoxins SCCWRP and its partners will seek to develop more robust field methods for monitoring cyanotoxins in aquatic environments during a new study kicking off this summer in the Los Angeles ... More |
Science tools for proposed biointegrity-biostimulatory policy to be released this summer SCCWRP and its partners will begin soliciting public comments this summer on a series of new scientific tools and synthesis reports that will form the technical backbone for a proposed ... More |
EPA Pacific Northwest stream tool being tested in Southwest SCCWRP and its partners have launched a study to investigate whether a stream management tool that can rapidly distinguish intermittent streams from ephemeral streams in the Pacific Northwest is feasible ... More |
Algae-based stream scoring tool to be finalized this fall An assessment tool that will score the ecological health of California wadeable streams by analyzing algal communities is scheduled to be finalized and published as early as this fall. The ... More |
New interactive mapping app helps visualize chances of improving stream condition SCCWRP and its partners have developed a web-based interactive mapping program to help stream managers visualize where in the San Gabriel River watershed they are more vs. less likely to ... More |
Causal assessment tools being tested in pair of case studies SCCWRP and its partners have initiated a pair of case studies to demonstrate a set of new causal assessment tools designed to rapidly narrow potential causes of degraded ecological condition ... More |
Effort launched to adapt ephemeral stream bioassessment tools for oil spill monitoring SCCWRP and its partners have kicked off a study examining whether bioassessment tools being developed to assess the health of ephemeral streams also can be used to assess ecological damage ... More |
Researchers using Bight data to evaluate accuracy of ocean acidification model Researchers working to develop a West Coast computer model that predicts how land-based sources of nutrients influence ocean acidification in nearshore coastal waters have begun using field data collected from ... More |
Expert panel updates recommendations for monitoring CECs in recycled water An expert advisory panel convened by SCCWRP on behalf of the State Water Board to update recommendations for monitoring CECs in recycled water has released its final draft report. The ... More |
Study offers guidance for optimizing TIE study design SCCWRP and its partners have completed a two-year study examining how to optimize the design of toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) studies to improve confidence in the results. The project, published ... More |
Model being developed to predict acidification’s impacts on Dungeness crab A group of researchers, including SCCWRP, has launched a three-year project to develop a model that predicts impacts on the Pacific Northwest Dungeness crab industry from ocean acidification. The project, ... More |
Pteropod health to be evaluated to track ocean acidification SCCWRP has teamed up with Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans to examine whether pteropods in the Beaufort Sea are showing signs of shell dissolution triggered by ocean acidification. The ... More |
Study launched to optimize kelp yields, explore approach to combatting ocean acidification A group of researchers, including SCCWRP, has launched a study to identify areas in the San Pedro Basin that are ideal for cultivating kelp, as well as the environmental conditions ... More |
Microbes in sewer pipes to be studied to glean insights about origins of fecal contamination SCCWRP and its partners have launched a study investigating whether the microbial community that grows inside sanitary sewer pipes could provide insights into the origins of human fecal contamination found ... More |
Study launched to revisit copper TMDL for Marina del Rey Harbor SCCWRP has launched a two-year study examining whether existing regulatory targets for dissolved copper in Marina del Rey Harbor should be modified to more accurately reflect the ecological threat posed ... More |
Technical foundation created for ephemeral stream tools SCCWRP and its partners have completed a pair of studies that establish a technical foundation for building watershed management tools for Southern California streams that run dry for much of ... More |
Models being built to establish nutrient loading targets for Santa Margarita River SCCWRP and its partners have begun assembling a suite of models to support development of scientifically defensible nutrient loading targets for reducing eutrophication in the lower Santa Margarita River watershed. ... More |
20 years of nutrient input data compiled for acidification model SCCWRP and its partners have compiled a series of data sets reflecting the contributions of major sources of nutrients to the Southern California Bight over the past 20 years, part ... More |
Environmental flows workgroup organizes under California Water Quality Monitoring Council A group of technical experts working to coordinate environmental flow management programs statewide was officially recognized in November as a workgroup of the California Water Quality Monitoring Council. The recognition ... More |
DNA sequencing used to identify larval fish SCCWRP and its partners have completed a proof-of-concept study showing that DNA sequencing methods can be used to identify communities of ichthyoplankton, or the eggs and larvae of fish, collected ... More |
Stream assessment tool under development to score physical habitat condition SCCWRP and its partners have developed a preliminary version of a stream assessment tool that can quantitatively score the condition of physical habitat using field data collected during routine monitoring ... More |
UAS to be used to develop protocols for quantifying trash in waterways SCCWRP and its partners have kicked off a three-year project to develop standardized methods for quantifying trash in California waterways, including using imagery collected from unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to ... More |
SMC open-data portal under development to streamline data management The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has begun developing a comprehensive data management system intended to streamline data submission, quality-control checks and data analysis. Built on the Esri ArcGIS ... More |
Bight ’18 kicks off with five study elements Participants of the Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program have developed five main study elements for the program’s 2018 cycle that will explore different facets of how human activities have ... More |
Laboratory-based passive-sampling method used to measure sediment contamination SCCWRP and its partners have successfully used prototype passive-sampling methods in a laboratory to measure the freely dissolved concentrations of organic contaminants in sediment. Unlike previous applications of passive-sampling technology ... More |
Initial testing completed for using bioanalytical assays to screen for CECs SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a pair of initial studies that bioanalytical screening tools have the potential to be used to screen receiving waters across California for CECs. ... More |
Draft framework unveiled for assessing human health impacts of contaminated sediment SCCWRP and its partners have completed development of a standardized sediment assessment framework intended to better protect the health of humans who consume seafood caught in enclosed bays and estuaries ... More |
Bight ’18 kickoff brings together dozens of agencies A collaboration involving dozens of environmental organizations will examine how human activities have affected the ecological health of Southern California’s coastal waters during the sixth cycle of the Southern California ... More |
Study launched to document fate of algal toxin in sediment SCCWRP and its partners have initiated a study examining whether an algal toxin known as domoic acid can linger in seafloor sediment following a harmful algal bloom (HAB) event. The ... More |
International expert panel convened to develop acidification thresholds for pteropods A 10-member panel made up of leading global experts on pteropods, or sea snails, convened at SCCWRP in September to develop consensus around biologically relevant thresholds at which these ubiquitous ... More |
Effort launched to adapt UAS to monitor HABs in lakes SCCWRP and its partners have launched an effort to adapt commercially available unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for routine monitoring of lakes susceptible to ecologically disruptive cyanobacteria blooms. UAS technology – ... More |
Bioretention soil media being tested to compare effectiveness at treating stormwater SCCWRP and its partners in October launched a year-long project to test the performance of six types of bioretention soil media designed to remove pathogens, indicator bacteria, nutrients, metals and ... More |
Passive samplers retrieved from Channel Islands for international oceanic pollutants study SCCWRP and its partners in August successfully retrieved two sets of passive sampling arrays that were deployed over a two-month period near the Channel Islands to help establish baseline concentrations ... More |
Fish exposed to flowing river water to monitor for biological changes SCCWRP and its partners exposed fish to flowing Los Angeles River water for two weeks in September as part of a pilot study examining potential biological impacts from exposure to ... More |
Ocean acidification model development moves into second validation phase West Coast researchers working to develop a computer model that predicts how the region’s coastal waters will be affected by ocean acidification and hypoxia have advanced to a second phase ... More |
Field data collection completed for Santa Margarita River nutrient management study SCCWRP and its partners have completed field data collection for a three-year project seeking to establish scientifically defensible nutrient loading targets for reducing eutrophication and improving biological integrity in the ... More |
Utah officials trained on HABs monitoring techniques at SCCWRP SCCWRP in August trained representatives from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food on techniques for monitoring harmful algal blooms (HABs) in irrigation systems in Utah, part of an effort ... More |
Microbial contamination detection device to undergo more R&D after malfunction A field-portable instrument prototype designed to improve the speed at which beach water can be analyzed for microbial contamination did not perform reliably during an initial field test and will ... More |
Preliminary testing completed for L.A. River fish flow-through study SCCWRP and its partners have completed preliminary testing for a field study that involves exposing fish to flowing river water in real time to study potential biological impacts from exposure ... More |
First phase of sediment TIE optimization study wraps up SCCWRP has completed the first phase of a two-year project exploring how to optimize the design of toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) studies to improve confidence in the results. The project, ... More |
Novel sediment management strategies to be explored for protecting coastal wetlands SCCWRP and its partners have launched a four-year study exploring how innovative sediment management strategies could be used to prepare low-lying coastal areas for the impacts of sea level rise ... More |
Effort launched to develop biologically relevant thresholds for tracking ocean acidification SCCWRP and its partners have launched a two-year initiative to develop a scientific foundation for using the health of marine organisms to track the biological impacts of ocean acidification (OA). ... More |
Accuracy of QMRA health risk modeling approach validated with epidemiology data SCCWRP and its partners have shown that a health risk modeling approach known as Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) can be used to accurately estimate illness rates for beachgoers who ... More |
Field testing underway to explore monitoring applications for recently acquired UAS SCCWRP and its partners have initiated a series of field experiments examining how a pair of recently acquired unmanned aerial systems (UAS) could be used to improve the speed and ... More |
POTWs embark on study documenting antibiotic-resistant bacteria, genes in effluent SCCWRP and its four wastewater treatment member agencies have initiated a year-long study examining whether viable antibiotic-resistant bacteria – and the genes that code for antibiotic resistance – are being ... More |
Bioassays show promise for CEC screening in SMC study SCCWRP and its partners have demonstrated in a proof-of-concept study that commercially available bioanalytical tools have the potential to cost-effectively screen Southern California waterways for the presence of bioactive contaminants ... More |
New Bight ’18 tools to improve data management workflows SCCWRP has developed a series of new tools and automations for the 2018 cycle of the Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program designed to streamline and enhance data management. Known ... More |
Effort underway to clean up, standardize historical Bight monitoring data SCCWRP and its member agencies have initiated a project to clean up and standardize decades of data they’ve collected from across the Southern California Bight during routine environmental monitoring. The ... More |
CEC advisory panel reconvened to update recommendations for recycled water monitoring SCCWRP has reconvened an expert advisory panel at the behest of the State Water Board to develop an updated set of recommendations for monitoring CECs in recycled water. During a ... More |
Project laying groundwork to develop flow-ecology assessment tools SCCWRP and its partners have begun laying the groundwork to develop a suite of assessment tools that illuminate how the ecological health of Southern California streams is impacted by alterations ... More |
Condition bioindicators to be developed for ephemeral streams SCCWRP and its partners are launching a three-year project to develop bioindicators for ephemeral streams in California and Arizona, following the successful completion of a proof-of-concept study showing that these ... More |
Initial development work completed for algae-based stream scoring tool SCCWRP and its partners have completed initial development work on an assessment tool that will score the ecological health of California wadeable streams by analyzing the condition of in-stream algal ... More |
POTW labs to start training for study examining antibiotic-resistant bacteria, genes in effluent SCCWRP and its POTW member agencies in May will begin practicing collection and analysis techniques for a year-long study examining whether viable antibiotic-resistant bacteria – and the genetic material that ... More |
Passive sampling method for measuring sediment contaminants validated in laboratory SCCWRP and its partners have completed the validation phase of a two-year study that aims to adapt commercially available passive sampling devices to measure the freely dissolved concentration of CECs ... More |
International passive sampling study to examine persistent organic pollutants in Channel Islands SCCWRP in June will deploy a series of passive sampling arrays in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary to measure persistent organic pollutants (POPs), part of an international effort to ... More |
Human health assessment framework for embayment sediment quality being finalized SCCWRP and its partners are wrapping up a final round of updates to a draft statewide assessment framework that evaluates how contaminated sediment affects the health of humans who consume ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have completed a comprehensive investigation into the potential causes of degraded sediment quality in Marina del Rey Harbor, a study that has underscored the need for ... More |
San Diego Bay study examines fish consumption habits among local anglers SCCWRP and its partners have completed a comprehensive, two-year study illuminating the fish consumption habits of San Diego Bay anglers who catch fish that could potentially be contaminated. The San ... More |
International passive sampling study to examine persistent organic pollutants in Channel Islands SCCWRP in June will deploy a series of passive sampling arrays in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary to measure persistent organic pollutants (POPs), part of an international effort to ... More |
SCCWRP and its partners have completed a comprehensive investigation into the potential causes of degraded sediment quality in Marina del Rey Harbor, a study that has underscored the need for ... More |
San Diego Bay study examines fish consumption habits among local anglers SCCWRP and its partners have completed a comprehensive, two-year study illuminating the fish consumption habits of San Diego Bay anglers who catch fish that could potentially be contaminated. The San ... More |
Model evaluates vulnerability of 104 wetlands to sea level rise SCCWRP and its partners have developed a vulnerability index model that predicts how Southern California coastal wetlands of all types and sizes could be impacted by sea level rise over ... More |
Special journal issue chronicles how Bight ecosystems influenced by diversion of wastewater effluent SCCWRP and its partners have developed a vulnerability index model that predicts how low-lying coastal wetlands across Southern California, including Los Peñasquitos Lagoon in San Diego, above, will be impacted ... More |
SCCWRP exploring expanded use of extrapolation modeling technique for stream condition assessments SCCWRP and its partners are exploring how to expand use of a modeling technique for extrapolating bioassessment results to unmonitored stream reaches, following the completion of a pilot study that ... More |
SCCWRP begins documenting persistence of eDNA in stream environments SCCWRP has completed a pilot study examining how long the environmental DNA signal of an organism lingers in a stream following the removal of the source organism, part of an ... More |
Researchers using Bight data to evaluating accuracy of ocean acidification model Researchers working to develop a West Coast computer model that predicts how land-based sources of nutrients influence ocean acidification in nearshore coastal waters have begun using field data collected from ... More |
SMC kicks off Year 3 field sampling for second cycle of stream monitoring program The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition in March kicked off Year 3 of field sampling for the second five-year cycle of its regional stream monitoring program. The SMC Regional Watershed ... More |
Bight ’13 CIA element publishes integrated summary reports The integrated findings of the Contaminant Impact Assessment (CIA) element of Bight ’13 have been published in a final assessment report and an accompanying, 12-page executive summary intended for a ... More |
POTW labs to start training for study examining antibiotic-resistant bacteria, genes in effluent SCCWRP and its POTW member agencies in May will begin practicing collection and analysis techniques for a year-long study examining whether viable antibiotic-resistant bacteria – and the genetic material that ... More |
Human fecal contamination sources identified at Inner Cabrillo Beach during QMRA study A SCCWRP-led effort to use a health risk modeling approach known as Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) at Inner Cabrillo Beach in Los Angeles County has turned up evidence that ... More |
Human health assessment framework for embayment sediment quality being finalized SCCWRP and its partners are wrapping up a final round of updates to a draft statewide assessment framework that evaluates how contaminated sediment affects the health of humans who consume ... More |
SCCWRP-developed CEC monitoring framework highlighted at State Water Board meeting State Water Board members explored multiple approaches being taken to improve CEC monitoring statewide during an informational meeting agenda item in February. Some of the presentations they heard at the ... More |
EPA workshop focuses on science-informed solutions for managing HABs About 150 water-quality managers from across the nation discussed the state of knowledge about harmful algal blooms (HABs) and best-practices solutions and strategies for combatting them during a management-focused workshop ... More |
SCCWRP research featured at S.D. Regional Board workshop on monitoring technologies Next-generation environmental monitoring technologies being developed by SCCWRP and its research partners were featured at an April workshop hosted by the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board that focused ... More |
New stream flow targets aid in watershed planning decisions SCCWRP and its partners have published a comprehensive study outlining how to use a suite of newly developed flow-ecology modeling tools to optimally protect the in-stream biological communities of more ... More |
SMC kicks off Year 3 field sampling for second cycle of stream monitoring program The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition in March kicked off Year 3 of field sampling for the second five-year cycle of its regional stream monitoring program. The SMC Regional Watershed ... More |
Bight ’13 CIA element publishes integrated summary reports The integrated findings of the Contaminant Impact Assessment (CIA) element of Bight ’13 have been published in a final assessment report and an accompanying, 12-page executive summary intended for a ... More |
Pilot study shows potential of UAS for remote environmental monitoring applications SCCWRP and its partners have demonstrated in a pilot study that traditional and multispectral cameras mounted to an unmanned aerial system (UAS) can be used to produce high-resolution, 3D mapping ... More |
ELAP one-year follow-up review finds accrediting body back on track An expert advisory panel convened by SCCWRP in 2015 to evaluate the state’s accrediting body for environmental laboratories has completed a one-year follow-up review of the program, concluding that it ... More |
Analysis underway for Inner Cabrillo Beach health risk modeling study A SCCWRP-facilitated advisory committee is reviewing water-quality sampling data collected from Inner Cabrillo Beach to determine whether high fecal indicator levels at the Los Angeles County beach are indicative of ... More |
Study design being finalized to examine antibiotic-resistant bacteria, genes in effluent SCCWRP and its POTW member agencies are finalizing the design of a study that will examine whether viable antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the genetic material that codes for antibiotic resistance are ... More |
Suitcase-sized microbial detection device to begin field-testing in spring SCCWRP this spring will begin field-testing a suitcase-sized prototype instrument that could revolutionize the speed at which beach ocean water is analyzed for microbial contamination. The droplet digital PCR (polymerase ... More |
Macroalgal work being used to draft updated nutrient TMDL for Santa Margarita River Estuary A SCCWRP-led investigation into how to set scientifically defensible macroalgal biomass and nutrient loading targets in the Santa Margarita River Estuary is serving as the basis of a proposed alternative ... More |
Demonstration maps reveal extrapolation limits of stream condition scores SCCWRP has generated a series of maps that reveal the geographical extent to which ecological condition scores calculated for stream sampling sites may be extrapolated to unsampled reaches upstream and ... More |
Sediment samples being analyzed to test CEC monitoring framework SCCWRP and the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County have begun analyzing sediment samples collected from across two regions of California for a pilot study that will test-drive a new, ... More |
Promising passive sampling device developed to detect fipronil in receiving waters SCCWRP and its partners have identified a promising, cost-effective passive sampling method for detecting the ubiquitous pesticide fipronil in receiving waters. The passive sampling method for this problematic, high-priority CEC ... More |
Field sampling kicks off for linking freshwater HABs to marine impacts SCCWRP and its partners have launched the field sampling for a study that will examine how freshwater toxins influence downstream waterbodies along the California coast. The goal is to understand ... More |
First phase wraps up for West Coast acidification model development West Coast researchers working to develop a computer model that predicts how the region’s coastal waters will be affected by ocean acidification and hypoxia have successfully completed the first phase ... More |
SMC completes analysis of bioassessment scores for engineered channels The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition has completed a comprehensive analysis of the range of ecological condition scores obtained when engineered channels across coastal Southern California are scored using existing ... More |
Flow-through units being deployed along L.A. River to study CECs’ impacts on fish SCCWRP and its partners will expose fish to flowing Los Angeles River water in real time this spring as part of an on-site study examining potential biological impacts to fish ... More |
Experts create gradient for interpreting stream scores A 16-member expert panel convened to interpret bioassessment scores for wadeable streams statewide has reached consensus on how the scores correspond to various ranges of ecological condition. The Biological Condition ... More |
Promising passive sampling device developed to detect fipronil in receiving waters SCCWRP and its partners have identified a promising, cost-effective passive sampling method for detecting the ubiquitous pesticide fipronil in receiving waters. The passive sampling method for this problematic, high-priority CEC ... More |
Marina del Rey stressor identification rules out possible causes of degraded sediment quality SCCWRP and its partners have ruled out some potential causes of degraded sediment quality in Marina del Rey Harbor, part of an ongoing stressor identification study aimed at understanding why ... More |
Year 1 field sampling wraps up for developing intermittent stream bioindicators SCCWRP and its partners have completed Year 1 of field sampling for a study investigating the feasibility of using terrestrial arthropods, riparian insects and bryophytes (e.g., mosses) to assess the ... More |
Workshop highlights need for improved science to manage ‘climate-ready’ bar-built estuaries SCCWRP in September helped kick-start a wide-ranging discussion with California water-quality and natural resource managers about how to more effectively manage a common type of coastal estuary known as a ... More |
SCCWRP has teamed up with the geospatial software firm Esri to create a computer game-like re-creation of the Tijuana River estuary that will enable users to travel through the habitat ... More |
Prototype image processing system could provide early warnings for HAB events SCCWRP has partnered with Ohio’s NASA Glenn Research Center and Wright State University to build a prototype computer system that can autonomously analyze aerial photos of water bodies susceptible to ... More |
Summer sampling completed to support health risk modeling study SCCWRP and its partners have completed an initial round of sampling at Inner Cabrillo Beach for a study that aims to ascertain whether high fecal indicator levels at the Los ... More |
SCCWRP is collaborating with its member agencies to design a study examining whether viable antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the genetic material that codes for antibiotic resistance are being discharged into the ... More |
Analysis of ocean acidification conditions across Bight wraps up SCCWRP and its partners have completed a synoptic analysis of ocean acidification conditions across the Southern California Bight continental shelf, the first phase of a multi-part Bight ’13 study documenting ... More |
SCCWRP assembles expert panel to help set eutrophication indicator ranges for California streams SCCWRP has assembled a 16-member panel of experts to place stream sites across California into different classes based on the ecological health of their algae and bottom-dwelling macroinvertebrate communities, a ... More |
Year 2 sampling of toxic algae wraps up for 2 recreational lakes SCCWRP and its partners have finished the second year of sampling in two Riverside County lakes for a study chronicling the proliferation of toxic algae through the bloom season. During ... More |
Scientists, managers lay foundation for developing acidification criteria at workshop Scientists and coastal managers from across the West Coast began laying the groundwork for the development of ecologically relevant criteria for coastal ocean acidification during a two-day workshop in October ... More |
Bioaccumulation study informs health risks from sediment SCCWRP and its partners have completed a comprehensive investigation into how sediment contamination is transferred through Southern California marine food webs, a study that has enabled scientists to close key ... More |
Prototype image processing system could provide early warnings for HAB events SCCWRP has partnered with Ohio’s NASA Glenn Research Center and Wright State University to build a prototype computer system that can autonomously analyze aerial photos of water bodies susceptible to ... More |
Summer sampling completed to support health risk modeling study SCCWRP and its partners have completed an initial round of sampling at Inner Cabrillo Beach for a study that aims to ascertain whether high fecal indicator levels at the Los ... More |
SCCWRP has teamed up with the geospatial software firm Esri to create a computer game-like re-creation of the Tijuana River estuary that will enable users to travel through the habitat ... More |
Sampling completed for L.A.-area evaluation of bioassay effectiveness for CEC screening SCCWRP and its partners have completed sampling of river water in the Los Angeles region for a study assessing the effectiveness of cell-based bioassays to screen for CECs. Water samples ... More |
Sediment toxicity database expanded to improve availability of high-quality data SCCWRP, in association with the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), has completed a major expansion of a publicly accessible database designed to improve environmental managers’ access to high-quality ... More |
Marina del Rey stressor identification rules out possible causes of degraded sediment quality SCCWRP and its partners have ruled out some potential causes of degraded sediment quality in Marina del Rey Harbor, part of an ongoing stressor identification study aimed at understanding why ... More |
Analysis of ocean acidification conditions across Bight wraps up SCCWRP and its partners have completed a synoptic analysis of ocean acidification conditions across the Southern California Bight continental shelf, the first phase of a multi-part Bight ’13 study documenting ... More |
SCCWRP assembles expert panel to help set eutrophication indicator ranges for California streams SCCWRP has assembled a 16-member panel of experts to place stream sites across California into different classes based on the ecological health of their algae and bottom-dwelling macroinvertebrate communities, a ... More |
Study shows watershed managers how to apply new flow-ecology modeling tools SCCWRP and its partners in the San Diego River Watershed have completed a demonstration study showing how to use a newly developed suite of flow-ecology modeling tools to optimally manage ... More |
Year 1 field sampling wraps up for developing intermittent stream bioindicators SCCWRP and its partners have completed Year 1 of field sampling for a study investigating the feasibility of using terrestrial arthropods, riparian insects and bryophytes (e.g., mosses) to assess the ... More |
Expert panel weighs in on extrapolation limits of stream condition scores SCCWRP and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife convened an expert panel in September to review how far stream condition scores calculated for a given stream sampling site can ... More |
Sampling completed for ichthyoplankton project SCCWRP and two of its member agencies completed field sampling in June for a project that will evaluate DNA-based methods for identifying ichthyoplankton, which are the eggs and larvae of ... More |
Arthropods, bryophytes being developed as condition bioindicators for intermittent streams SCCWRP and California State University, Monterey Bay, in June launched a study to investigate the feasibility of using terrestrial arthropods and bryophytes (e.g., mosses) to assess the biological condition of ... More |
Study: Cell bioassays could be effective at screening for potential harm in fish SCCWRP and its partners at the University of Florida have demonstrated in a proof-of-concept study that biological assays built with engineered human cells have the potential to be effective at ... More |
Method comparison study seeks to assess utility of using DNA to identify stream algae SCCWRP and its partners have launched a first-of-its-kind study to determine whether DNA-based methods can reliably be used to identify algae in wadeable streams across California, a finding that could ... More |
Surfer rainfall study helps focus water-quality discussion SCCWRP and its partners have completed a three-year epidemiological study examining the health impacts of entering coastal waters during and shortly after rainfall, a study that has raised important public ... More |
Santa Margarita River study offers insights on reducing nutrient loading to estuaries SCCWRP and its partners have completed the first phase of a five-year study exploring how water-quality managers can set appropriate, scientifically defensible targets for reducing nutrient loading in the Santa ... More |
Study to investigate extrapolation limits of stream condition scores SCCWRP and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in August will launch a study seeking to clarify how far stream condition scores calculated for a single stream site can ... More |
SMC kicks off second-year sampling with new program elements The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition kicked off second-year sampling in March for the second cycle of its Regional Watershed Monitoring Program. New program elements being incorporated into the second ... More |
Framework developed for establishing Southern California stream flow thresholds SCCWRP and its partners have completed development of a framework that can be used to establish ecologically relevant flow targets for stream sites across Southern California. The framework, which relates ... More |
SCCWRP-facilitated design charrette helps create priorities for estuary restoration SCCWRP has submitted to the California State Coastal Conservancy a report outlining how the design charrette process can be used to develop restoration goals and priorities for small coastal estuaries ... More |
SCCWRP to launch field testing of suitcase-sized microbial detection device this summer SCCWRP this summer will begin field-testing a suitcase-sized instrument prototype designed to rapidly detect microbial contamination in beach ocean water. The droplet digital PCR (polymerase chain reaction) instrument, developed by ... More |
SMC samples advance to nontargeted analysis phase of CEC monitoring framework SCCWRP and its collaborators have advanced some of the 31 water samples collected by the Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) to the nontargeted phase of chemical analysis, a recognition ... More |
Field sampling wraps up for OAH study examining influence of wastewater nutrients in coastal waters SCCWRP and its member agencies have finished collecting two years of field sampling data for a study that will assess the relative influence of anthropogenic vs. natural sources of nutrient ... More |
SCCWRP completes data collection for fish consumption study SCCWRP has completed a year-long effort to interview more than 1,600 San Diego Bay anglers about their fish consumption habits for a study that will ascertain whether local anglers and ... More |
San Diego Bay bioaccumulation study nearing completion A three-year study that quantifies how sediment contamination in San Diego Bay is transferred through various levels of the marine food web has completed its first phase of data analysis ... More |
SCCWRP unveils algaeMetrics tool to simplify algae-based bioassessment calculations SCCWRP has created a free online tool to help Southern California stream managers and scientists automatically generate stream bioassessment scores using raw algae data collected from wadeable streams. The algaeMetrics ... More |
Bight ’13 regional monitoring wrapping up major elements Three of the five elements of the Southern California Bight 2013 Regional Monitoring Program are winding down as a series of final assessment reports is published over the next few weeks. ... More |
Human fecal contamination sources identified at Inner Cabrillo Beach during QMRA study A SCCWRP-led effort to use a health risk modeling approach known as Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) at Inner Cabrillo Beach in Los Angeles County has turned up evidence that ... More |
SCCWRP to test new EPA health risk model at Inner Cabrillo Beach SCCWRP in May will launch a first-of-its-kind study aimed at ascertaining whether high fecal indicator bacteria Ievels at Inner Cabrillo Beach in the Los Angeles Harbor area are indicative of ... More |
First phase wraps up for West Coast acidification model development West Coast researchers working to develop a computer model that predicts how the region’s coastal waters will be affected by ocean acidification and hypoxia have successfully completed the first phase ... More |
SCCWRP to present preliminary results for source tracking study SCCWRP in February will present the preliminary findings of a microbial source tracking study intended to gauge the relative degradation rates of pathogens, fecal indicator bacteria and source-associated markers in ... More |
Water-quality model calibrated for Santa Margarita River estuary SCCWRP and its partners have completed calibrating a new water-quality model that will be used to study nutrient loading in the Santa Margarita River estuary in northern San Diego County. ... More |
SCCWRP, partners seeking comments on framework for assessing nutrient overenrichment in S.F. Bay SCCWRP and its partners are seeking public comment on a draft of a scientific assessment framework that will be used for assessing the effects of nutrient overenrichment in San Francisco ... More |
Likely causes of cyanobacterial blooms, nuisance vegetation in Bay Delta chronicled in new reports SCCWRP and its partners have completed a comprehensive review of the likely causes of cyanobacterial blooms and nuisance vegetation in the San Francisco Bay Delta, concluding that nutrient loading likely ... More |
SCCWRP working to adapt passive sampling technology to monitor CECs in sediment SCCWRP in January launched a two-year effort to adapt commercially available passive sampling devices to measure the freely dissolved concentration (Cfree) of CECs in sediment. Passive sampling devices consist of ... More |
SCCWRP-developed sediment bioaccumulation model being tested in L.A./Long Beach Harbors SCCWRP and the Harbor Technical Work Group, which is working to address a TMDL (total maximum daily load) in Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors, launched an effort in November ... More |
San Diego Bay bioaccumulation study working to quantify DDTs, PCBs SCCWRP and its partners in December began analyzing and interpreting data collected from more than 300 San Diego Bay sediment and animal-tissue samples as part of a two-year study that ... More |
Draft study plan released for planned Marina del Rey copper bioavailability study SCCWRP in January released a draft study plan for an upcoming Marina del Rey Harbor study that will seek to measure the influence of harbor water characteristics and environmental variations ... More |
Sediment stressor identification study launched in Marina del Rey SCCWRP in late January kicked off a study that seeks to determine the cause of sediment toxicity and benthic community impairment in Marina del Rey Harbor. The study involves using ... More |
SCCWRP hosts kickoff meeting to develop statewide algae assessment program SCCWRP hosted a day-long kickoff meeting with state, federal and local agencies in January to begin developing a statewide freshwater bioassessment program that uses algae as the indicator of waterbody ... More |
SCCWRP works toward predicting causes, impacts of West Coast acidification SCCWRP and its partners have begun work on a predictive model that will offer managers key insights about the extent to which anthropogenic nutrients introduced to coastal waters affect ocean ... More |
Gene expression patterns of fish change in response to pollutant exposure, study shows SCCWRP has found that the gene expression patterns of the hornyhead turbot change as they are exposed to different chemical pollutants at different concentrations, a proof-of-concept finding that reveals how ... More |
SCCWRP transitioning new stream condition scoring tool to managers SCCWRP and its partners have launched a series of outreach and training exercises to teach watershed managers how to use a new scoring tool for evaluating the biological health of ... More |
Expert panel evaluates SCCWRP nutrient science plan A four-member expert review panel tasked with reviewing a science plan supporting the State Water Board’s effort to develop nutrient objectives for California wadeable streams has concluded that SCCWRP’s approach ... More |
XPRIZE-developed pH sensors being tested as Bight profilers SCCWRP and its four POTW member agencies have kicked off a year-long effort to evaluate whether ocean pH monitoring instruments developed through an international XPRIZE competition can be used effectively ... More |
SCCWRP to test suitcase-sized microbial detection device A suitcase-sized instrument that could revolutionize the speed at which beach ocean water is tested for microbial contamination is being prepared for an initial round of testing and calibration at ... More |
SCCWRP models flow patterns at 850 stream sites for ELOHA study SCCWRP in October finished modeling hydrological flow patterns for about 850 ungaged bioassessment stream sites across Southern California, a milestone in a three-year project that aims to use a scientific ... More |
Scientists to track El Niño’s physical impacts to coastal lagoons this winter To better understand how sea level rise may impact Southern California’s vulnerable coastal lagoons, SCCWRP is launching a study this month to observe how predicted El Niño-fueled storm surges this ... More |
Massive 3-year sampling effort for San Diego Bay bioaccumulation study wraps up Scientists have finished collecting and analyzing more than 260 animal samples from San Diego Bay in one of the most comprehensive Southern California investigations ever conducted into how contamination is transferred ... More |
Panel proposes reforms to ELAP following review A five-member advisory panel convened by SCCWRP to evaluate the state’s Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) has published a report outlining its Year 1 findings and recommendations, the culmination of ... More |
CTAG user groups delve into next-gen tech projects at first meetings Two new CTAG user groups that will pool together resources and expertise from SCCWRP’s member agencies to tackle next-generation data acquisition and visualization technology projects met for the first time ... More |
Standard protocols for estuary assessments published in manual The Santa Monica Bay Foundation and its partners, including SCCWRP, have completed a draft guidance document that establishes standard protocols for monitoring and assessing coastal lagoons and intertidal estuaries in ... More |
Case study for flow-ecology framework kicks off in San Diego SCCWRP and its partners kicked off a case study in May that aims to demonstrate the utility of using a scientific framework known as the Ecological Limits of Hydrologic Alteration ... More |
Bight ’13 toxicity data suggest sediment quality is improving Sediment toxicity testing conducted as part of the 2013 Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program has revealed evidence of continuing improvement to sediment quality, according to the findings of the ... More |
SCCWRP applies bioassessment index to streams statewide A new scoring tool that was developed to assess the biological condition of California’s wadeable streams has been applied for the first time to all wadeable streams statewide, with the ... More |
SCCWRP hosts transcontinental stormwater management workshop in India Leading stormwater scientists from across three continents came together at a SCCWRP-facilitated forum in India in March to discuss more effective ways to capture and use rainfall runoff in drought-prone ... More |
Pilot study launched to test SCCWRP’s new CEC monitoring framework statewide SCCWRP has launched a three-year pilot study to evaluate its newly developed CEC monitoring framework across Southern California watersheds, an effort to understand how to effectively apply the framework to ... More |
HAB experts develop statewide strategy for responding to toxic cyanobacterial blooms A group of scientific experts on harmful algal blooms in California has developed a statewide strategy for responding to HABs and mitigating their impacts in water bodies across California. The ... More |
Expert panel urges action on West Coast ocean acidification Global carbon dioxide emissions are triggering fundamental changes to ocean chemistry along the North American West Coast that should be addressed through immediate and decisive management actions, including development of ... More |
SCCWRP testing utility of remote sensing to assess hydromodification risk SCCWRP has partnered with Orange County Public Works and the manufacturer of a professional-grade unmanned aerial system equipped with sensors to begin conducting high-resolution mapping of waterways susceptible to hydromodification. ... More |
SCCWRP, partners launching outreach campaign for OAH modeling A team of scientists that is developing a predictive model examining how the West Coast is impacted by ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) will launch a public outreach campaign in ... More |
Harmful algae conference focuses on research, strategy Researchers and environmental managers working to understand and address the threat of harmful algal blooms (HABs) across the nation coalesced in Long Beach in November for a five-day national scientific ... More |
Stream survey tracks biological degradation across Southern California A five-year monitoring study of Southern California’s perennial wadeable streams has found that 75% of the region’s 4,300 miles of streams are degraded, with no discernable improvements in the health ... More |