Development of Sediment Quality Objectives for California Bays and Estuaries

1. Development of Sediment Quality Objectives for California Bays and Estuaries Steven Bay Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) steveb@sccwrp.org Project Update-April 2004

2. Project Activities

3. Scientific Steering Committee • Working to complete additions to SSC based on input from advisory committee and others • Bioaccumulation risk assessment • Uncertainty analysis • Documentation of selection process • Update of SSC and scheduling of first meeting are the next steps

4. Direct Effects • Sediment quality database development • Chemical effects analysis • Toxicity method comparison • Benthic community assessment tool development • Integration of triad into objectives

5. Database • Distributed study inventory for comment • Incorporating additional data for San Francisco Bay • Assessments for Hunter’s Point, Richmond Harbor, other sites • Dredge material characterization studies • Approximately 40 studies received and in process of data entry and conversion to database format • Database QA activities in progress • Format • Data entry

6. Benthic Community Assessment Tool Development • Refine Benthic Response Index (BRI) • Improve effects gradient data for Southern California • Additional index validation • Investigate applications for San Francisco Bay • Investigate alternative assessment tools for other regions of State • San Francisco Bay approach • RIVPACS • Compare/standardize sampling methods • Sampling gear and sieve size

7. 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 study of BRI application for San Francisco Bay nearly complete

8. Benthic Community Assessment Tool Development • Investigate alternative tools • Joint effort with SFEI to examine SF Bay approach • First phase of comparison with BRI nearly complete • Joint effort with TetraTech to examine RIVPACS approach • Project still under development • Evaluation of community zonation along Pacific Coast • Collaborative effort with Western EMAP • Insufficient data to develop a benthic community assessment tool for Northern California areas outside of San Francisco Bay

9. Benthic Community Assessment Tool Development • Comparison of sampling methods • Comparison of sieve sizes underway • Over 100 samples from multiple habitats • Planning for sampling gear comparison • Compare grab types and cores • Sampling planned for summer 2004

10. 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 under review by study participants • Subset of methods for additional study will be made following data review and input from SSC

11. 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 under development • Work should begin in May • Detailed work plan will be developed and reviewed by SSC

12. 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

13. 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