Prioritized Sites for Amphipod TIE Study Identify 12 potentially toxic inter-tidal sites Sample four sites at a time to find two suitable sites for amphipod TIE development - Perform phased TIE to characterize, identify, and confirm causes of observed toxicity - Analyze sediment quality and chemistry at the TIE sites to help with TIE interpretation : Causes of Sediment Toxicity Study Group 1 Group 2 Group 3

Sediment Effects in San Francisco Bay Management Context Current Status Important Work to Date Sediment Toxicity Benthic Pilot Study/SQO RMP Objectives and Management Questions Addressed Five-Year Plan EEPS WG Sep. 2007

Management Context Sediment toxicity is persistent in the Estuary and we need to investigate the causes Narrative toxicity objectives outlined in the Basin Plan are employed by the Water Board to list water bodies Sediment Quality Objectives for bays and estuaries are proposed and will be promulgated soon

Current Status Persistent toxicity in Estuary sediments Toxicity in higher in the winter than the summer Toxicity in more prevalent in the margins than channels Benthic indices have been developed for some benthic assemblages, and some benthic community impacts are seen based on contamination (However salinity and TOC were strong correlates as well) Benthic impacts are more prevalent in margins than channels

Important Work to Date RMP Status and Trends continues to characterized sediment toxicity conditions in the Estuary Complex mixtures and specific contaminant groups have been correlated to sediment toxicity observed in the S&T program Bivalve and Amphipod TIEs are useful tools to separate contaminant causes of toxicity Benthic Assemblages have been characterized for the Estuary Benthic Indices developed within some of these assemblages are employed by the SQO for bays and estuaries

RMP Management Objectives Addressed Objective 4. Characterize ecological and human health risk due to pollution of the Estuary ecosystem Objective 5. Use monitoring information to compare to relevant regulatory guidelines (and to establish new guidelines) Page 8 of the draft workplan

Specific Questions to be Addressed in Next Five-Years In order of priority: 1. What are the causes of sediment toxicity? 2. Are Estuary sediments toxic? 3. Are the benthos impacted by pollutants? 4. Is the SQO method a valid way evaluate ecological condition in this Estuary? 5. What are the causes of benthic impacts? Page 8 of the draft workplan

Toxicity Workgroup Recommendations: Evaluate toxicity during Winter near potential sources Follow the most relevant matrix (sediment) Investigate causes of persistent sediment toxicity Develop LC50s for estuarine species Integrate this study with Benthic work and other SQO work that is planned

We have begun to address these questions Causes of Sediment Toxicity Causes of Benthic Impacts Primary Objective Understand the Causes of Ecological Effects in Sediments of the San Francisco Estuary Amphipod Dose Response Experiments MQ 4.1 SQ 1, 2, 3 & 5 Amphipod TIEs MQ 4.1 SQ 1 & 2 ID Benthic Assemblages MQs 4.2, 5.1, 5.2 SQ 3 & 4 Multi-metric Benthic Response Indices MQs 4.2, 5.1, 5.2 SQ 3, 4 & 5 Bivalve TIEs MQ 4.1 SQ 1 & 2 Multivariate analyses to ID stressors MQs 4.2, 5.1, 5.2 SQ 1, 2, 3 & 5 Intensive triad studies at gradient sites to investigate stressors MQs 4.1, 4.2 SQ 1,2,4 & 5 Develop TIE toolbox to address causes MQ 4.1 SQ 1 & 2 Experimental studies to understand benthic community effects MQs 4.1, 4.2 SQ 3 & 5 Dose-response studies of both resident and lab estuarine species using contaminant of concern MQ 4.1 SQ 1, 2, 3 & 5 MQs = Management Questions addressed by the study SQ = Specific Question Addressed by the Sediment Effects Studies See Page 8 of the draft workplan Graphic is a modified version of Figure 1 on Page 21 SQO for bays and estuaries MQs 4.2, 4.4, 5.1, 5.2

Five-Year Workplan Summary, Cost Estimates, and MQs Annual Cost Estimate ($K) ElementDescription Management Questions Addressed RMP Status & Trends (Add SQO) Add benthic sampling at all sediment toxicity stations sample by the S&T program 65 S 36 W 66 S 55 W 67 S 4.2 – ecological risks of sediment contamination 4.3 – effect of management actions to reduce risk 5.1 – % of Bay impaired 5.2 – impairment of segments Causes of Sediment Toxicity Study - Complete Current Study - Focus on contaminated areas in winter, identify gradients, sample toxicity, chemistry, and benthos – identify chemicals posing ecological risk 4.2 – ecological risks of sediment contamination 4.3 – effect of management actions to reduce risk 5.1 – % of Bay impaired 5.2 – impairment of segments Benthic Community Assessment Studies Field and lab experiments to investigate benthic community effects – ecological risks of sediment contamination 5.2 – impairment of segments Table 4 of the draft workplan On Page 18

Five-Year Workplan Task Benthos /Toxicity Work-group oversight WG Charge: Review Workplan - Exchange Experience - Provide Guidance Annual meeting: Provide oversight and information exchange. Annual meeting: Provide oversight and information exchange. Annual meeting: Provide oversight and information exchange. Annual meeting: Provide oversight and information exchange. RMP S&T Sediment Add SQO (Benthos) S&T Sediment Cruise (Summer 2008): 27 sites S&T Sediment Cruise (Winter2009): 14 sites S&T Sediment Cruise (Summer 2010): 27 sites S&T Sediment Cruise (Winter 2011): 14 sites (3-Yr Sum. Rpt) S&T Sediment Cruise (Summer 2012): 27 sites Causes of Sediment Toxicity Studies -Complete 2007/08 tasks - Identify good gradient sites to conduct additional toxicity, chemistry and TIE studies. -Implement the TRIAD gradient studies using laboratory test species. (Archive Benthos unless…) -Continue TIE Dev. - Consider Dose- response studies with Lab/Res spp. - Continue TRIAD gradient studies - Further refine TIE tools to develop TIE toolbox - Develop new proposal to further goal of relating sediment toxicity to benthic impacts. - Contribute interpretation of causes of sediment toxicity in technical report summarizing gradient and experimental results - Plans pending results from previous years of work Benthic Community Studies. Develop options for lab and field experiments - Process benthic gradient samples - Experimental study on community attributes -Evaluate progress towards understanding Lab vs. Benthic Indicators Summarize results of gradient and experimental studies Build off previous years work to develop future work Table 5 of the draft workplan On Page 19