Who We Are

The Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) is an aquatic sciences research institute that works to improve management of aquatic systems in Southern California and beyond. Since its founding as an intergovernmental public agency in 1969, SCCWRP has been developing strategies, tools and technologies that the region’s water-quality management community relies on to more effectively protect and enhance the ecological health of Southern California’s coastal ocean and watersheds that drain to it. As an R&D agency, SCCWRP’s reputation is built on conducting research and translating this science into actionable guidance and recommendations that inform management decision-making and policy development.

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Latest News

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Upcoming Meetings

March 7, 2025
SCCWRP Commission meeting

March 12, 2026
Advancing environmental DNA for management applications

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Latest Publications

Sutula, M., F. Kessouri, C.A. Frieder, N. Lombardo. 2026. Quantifying Uncertainty in Oxygen Predictions of an Ocean Numerical Model: A Case Study for Application to Anthropogenic Nutrient Effect Assessment. Technical Report 1445. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Ryan, A.C., R.C. Santore, K.C. Schiff. 2026. An Updated Unified Zinc Biotic Ligand Model for Protection of Freshwater Aquatic Life and its Application for Site-Specific Water Quality Objectives. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management DOI:10.1093/inteam/vjag031.

Ho, M., J. Molemaker, P. Damien, M.C. Long, D. Bianchi, J.C. McWilliams. 2026. Ocean alkalinity enhancement in an estuary. Frontiers in Climate

Sutula, M., F. Kessouri, M. Ho, C.A. Frieder. 2026. Numerical Simulation of Potential Eutrophication Effects of Oil and Gas Produced Water Discharges on the Southern California Bight. Technical Report 1446. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

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Research Portfolio

Research Portfolio

SCCWRP is a regional aquatic science research agency with national impact. Learn more about the agency’s broad research portfolio and how it shapes development of informed water-quality management strategy. More »

Management Impact

Management Impact

SCCWRP focuses on building a rigorous scientific foundation to inform management decision-making. Explore the organization’s most influential, impactful accomplishments of the past 50 years. More »

Scientific Publications

George Robertson of the Orange County Sanitation District, left, and Ashley Booth, center, and Erin Oderlin of the City of Los Angeles Sanitation calibrate and prepare an XPRIZE-developed ocean pH monitoring sensor for a test deployment in nearshore waters off Crystal Cove. All four of SCCWRP’s POTW member agencies participated in the training exercise in early August.

SCCWRP has collaborated with nearly 200 organizations on peer-reviewed journal articles in recent years. Explore the institutional affiliations of all of SCCWRP’s recent co-authors. More »

Scientific Leadership

Scientific Leadership

SCCWRP scientific staff hold more than 100 leadership roles with professional scientific societies, advisory committees and peer-reviewed journals. Learn more about how SCCWRP engages with the broader scientific community. More »