Sediment Dynamics DriveContaminant Dynamics

David SchoellhamerGreg Shellenbarger Neil GanjuU.S. Geological Survey

Jay DavisLester McKeeSan Francisco Estuary Institute

NASA

Why study sediment dynamics?Contaminants are associated with sediment

RMP

Van Dorn samplerData retrievalin gage house

Fouled sensor and cable

Clean sensor and cable

SedimentStations

Point San Pablo SSC and Mercury

Point San Pablo, 4-day Average

25% above WQO

RMP Sources, Pathways, and Loadings Workgroup: What is the loading from the Central Valley?

MallardIsland

Delta Sediment Inflow

Gilbert, Porterfield, Krone, OBA, McKee et al.

2000 RMP Pulse of the Estuary

Contaminant Distribution: Petaluma River

NASA

UCD/USGS

UCD/USGS

UCD/USGS

2000 RMP Pulse of the Estuary

Petaluma River

• Trapped sediment mass• Tidal oscillation• Persists throughout year• Large suspended- sediment concentration

• Sonoma Creek too

Sediment and Contaminant Budgets• Sources and sinks• New data and studies• Sediment supply decreasing• Proposed alterations• Revising sediment budget

Uncles and Peterson 1995Jaffe and Smith, in review

San Pablo Bay

1951-1983

• Legacy contaminants in bed

• Add sediment and PCBs to salinity box model

Sedimentation StudiesScientific Integration

•Physics•Chemistry•Ecology•Watershed•Wetlands•Oceanography

Sedimentation StudiesProgrammatic Integration

•U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (RMP)•SF Regional WQ Control Board•CV Regional WQ Control Board •Calif. Coastal Conservancy/USFWS/DFG•CALTRANS/UC Davis•CALFED Bay/Delta Program•Interagency Ecological Program•USGS Place-based Program•USGS Federal/State Coop Program

Future of RMP Sediment Studies

•Long-term data: watershed supply•Variability of contaminants: Petaluma River•Legacy contaminant trends: bed dynamics•Development and restoration projects

Project staff 1993-presentLee Bergfeld, Matt Brennan, Greg Brewster, Paul Buchanan, Laurie Campbell, Randal Dinehart, Trinia Dzurny, Neil Ganju, Tom Hankins, Jessica Lacy, Larry Lindsay, Megan Lionberger, Cathy Ruhl, David Schoellhamer, Greg Shellenbarger, Rob Sheipline, Brad Sullivan, Ann Tobin, Rob Turner, John Warner, and Scott Wright

Collaborators and ColleaguesRick Adorador, Mike Barad, Curt Battenfeld, Brian Bergamaschi, Matt Brennan, Jeremy Bricker, Jon Burau, Melissa Carlozzi, Ralph Cheng, Jim Cloern, Jay Cuetara, Jay Davis, Jim DeRose, Judi DeVarnne, Judy Drexler, Jeff Gartner, Roger Fujii, Bruce Jaffe, Brian Jennings, Noah Knowles, Jeff Koseff, Kathryn Kuivila, Jessica Lacy, Lisa Lucas, Lester McKee, Kris May, Keith Miles, Ed Moon, Steve Monismith, Rick Oltmann, Francis Parchaso, Cathy Ruhl, Carol Sanchez, Geoff Schladow, Mike Simpson, Larry Smith, Pete Smith, Rich Smith, Mark Stacey, Robin Stewart, Rick Stumpf, John Takekawa, Jan Thompson, John Warner, Jon Yokomizo, Tom Young, and more …

Reports and Data

http://ca.water.usgs.gov/abstract/sfbay/sfbaycontbib.html

http://sfbay.wr.usgs.gov/access/Fixed_sta/