Development of Sediment Quality Objectives for California Bays and Estuaries Project Update-June 2004 Steven Bay Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP)

Project Activities

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

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

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

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

Current Database Contents RegionSed ChemSed ToxInfauna So. Calif SF Bay Pac. Ocean No. Calif Other1280 Total

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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