SCCWRP has developed a sediment quality assessment framework that defines for environmental managers how to assess compliance with a statewide policy intended to protect humans who consume seafood from California’s enclosed bays and estuaries. Humans can become exposed to sediment contamination via food web transfer.

Water-quality regulatory targets for copper in Marina del Rey Harbor, above, have been exceeded. SCCWRP and its partners are pursuing a study examining whether existing copper targets for the Los Angeles County boat harbor accurately reflect copper’s ecological threat.

A field crew retrieves sediment samples collected from Consolidated Slip in Los Angeles Harbor during a SCCWRP-led study examining how to optimize the design of toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) studies to improve confidence in the results.

SCCWRP researchers collect sediment core samples from the silted bottom of Newport Bay in Newport Beach.