SCCWRP Data Catalog

SCCWRP has conducted five major reference surveys, since the 1977 reference survey:

Bight '03 Survey

This is the third regional survey of the continental shelf of the Southern California Bight since 1994. The data include metadata, sediment chemistry, sediment toxicity, infaunal biomass and abundance, and trawl fish and invertebrate data.

2000 EPA EMAP

50 stations were visited in San Francisco Bay. Samples included sediment grabs which yielded benthic infauna, sediment toxicity, and sediment chemistry. Trawls were conducted at each station where fish and invertebrates were collected for community analysis. Additionally fish were collected for tissue chemistry analysis.

1999 EPA EMAP

80 stations were visited state wide in California estuaries. Samples included sediment grabs which yielded benthic infauna, sediment toxicity, and sediment chemistry. Trawls were conducted at each station where fish and invertebrates were collected for community analysis. Additionally fish were collected for tissue chemistry analysis.

California Sediment Quality Objectives Database

The California Sediment Quality Objectives Database was produced as part of the State Water Resources Control Board's effort to develop sediment quality objectives (SQOs) for enclosed bays and estuaries. Data from various California habitats, including bays, estuaries, and offshore areas were compiled and integrated into a relational database to support SQO development and verification activities. This database includes data from monitoring, dredging, and research studies conducted during 1980-2003, with the majority of the data collected from 1992-2003. The collected studies contain information on chemistry, toxicity, bioaccumulation, and benthic community condition, as well as associated metadata.
The database has been made available in an effort to improve data analyses for uses such as regional assessments of sediment quality, temporal analysis of environmental quality, and TMDL activities. A SQO database user guide has been created that describes the database structure and provide instructions for extracting information and adding new records.
This database is the compilation information from many different sources. Although much effort has been made to control the quality of the data, errors may still be present. The user is advised to use caution and verify the results when using the database for applications having legal or regulatory consequences.

Natural Loadings Study

The Natural Loadings Study, and the associated database was produced to evaluate the water quality contributions and properties of stream reaches in natural catchments throughout southern California. The intent is that scientists and managers can use these data to provide information on water quality in streams that drain undeveloped areas. Surface water quality data from 22 natural open-space sites spread across southern California's coastal watersheds were compiled. Sites were selected to represent a range of conditions and were located across six counties and twelve different watersheds: Arroyo Sequit, Los Angeles River, San Gabriel River, Malibu Creek, San Mateo Creek, San Juan Creek, Santa Ana River, San Luis Rey River, Santa Clara River, Ventura River, and Calleguas Creek watersheds. Data were collected from each of the selected sampling sites during both dry weather and wet weather conditions. Three dry season sampling events were conducted; spring 2005, fall 2005, and spring 2006. A total of 30 storm sampling-events were conducted during two wet seasons between December 2004 and April 2006, with each site being sampled during two to three storms. At each survey location the flow and physical and biological parameters of the site, such as percent canopy cover, were documented. Water samples were collected and analyzed for pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), hardness, total and dissolved organic carbon (TOC, DOC), nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorus (TP) orthophosphate (OP), total metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc), and bacteria (total coliform, E. coli, and enterococcus). During dry weather, algal samples were also collected for chlorophyll a and algal percent cover analysis.
The database has been made available in an effort to improve data analyses for uses such as site-specific/watershed-specific assessments of natural background water quality. Because the sampling sites are representative of the major geologic and natural land cover settings of the region, they can be used to estimate regional or watershed specific loading from natural areas. The data can also be used to help calibrate watershed models that account for rainfall runoff rates and antecedent dry conditions. Such models can be used to simulate water quality loading under a range of antecedent and rainfall conditions, thereby providing managers with additional tools for evaluation of background water quality conditions.

San Gabriel Dry Weather Water Quality

The purpose of the San Gabriel dry season sampling was to collect data on the dry-season flow and water quality inputs to the reaches of the San Gabriel River, and its major tributaries, that are listed as impaired under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. The data was collected in Sept 2002 and Sept 2003 and provide a "snapshot" of the major constituent inputs to the system and will be used to characterize dry season conditions and may be used for future development of a dry season hydrodynamic and water quality model for the San Gabriel River.

Atmospheric Deposition of Pollutants to Santa Monica Bay

Starting in January 1999, four types of data were collected in order to study regional air quality in the Santa Monica Bay watershed: atmospheric concentrations of aerosol-associated toxic contaminants, wet and dry deposition rates of toxic contaminants, bulk and surface microlayer concentrations of toxic contaminants, and toxic contaminant source emission inventories.

Bight'98 Survey

A survey conducted on the continental shelf of the the Southern California Bight during 1998. The data include metadata, sediment chemistry, sediment toxicity, biomarker, infaunal biomass and abundance, and trawl fish and invertebrate data.

1994 Pilot Project Survey

A 261 site survey conducted on the continental shelf of the the Southern California Bight between Point Conception and the Mexican border. The data include, metadata, sediment chemistry, infaunal biomass and abundance, and trawl fish and invertebrate data collected for each time period.

1990 Reference Survey

20 stations. Seven of the 13 sites sampled in the 1985 Reference Site Survey were re-sampled. At each area samples were taken at 30, 60, and 150 meters. The data include metadata, infuanal abundance, infaunal biomass, and station data.

1985 Reference Survey

39 Stations. Thirteen cross-shelf transects were established at sites sampled in the 1977 60-Meter Survey. Samples were taken at 30, 60 and 150 meters. The data include metadata, infuanal abundance, infaunal biomass, and station data.

1977 Reference Survey

Benthic grab samples were taken from 71 stations distributed at approximately 10-kilometer intervals between Point Conception and the Mexican Border. In certain areas near the major municipal wastewater outfalls, stations were more closely spaced to delineate the expected outfall effects. The data include metadata, infuanal abundance, infaunal biomass, and station data.