Water Board Update
Elizabeth Wells, PE
Project Manager
510-622-2440
ewells@waterboards.ca.gov

Water Board Activities
• Regional Monitoring Program
• Stream and Wetland Systems Protection
Policy

Regional Monitoring Program
• Monitors contamination in SF Bay
• Collaborative effort
• Results published in The Pulse of the
Estuary

Pulse of the Estuary - 2009
• RMP results
• Sediment discussion:
• Dredged sediment
• Suspended sediment
• Sediment coring
• Sediment quality objectives
• Copies - San Francisco Estuary Institute
• Ph: 510-746-SFEI
• www.sfei.org

Sediment Quality Objectives
• Protection of aquatic life in bays and estuaries
SQOs established in 2008
• Protection of human health SQOs scheduled for
adoption in 2010
• Recent data show 39% of stations in SF Bay
exceeded aquatic life SQO

Stream and Wetland Systems
Protection Policy
• Proposed Basin Plan Amendment
• Beneficial uses
• Water Quality Objectives
• Implementation Plan
• State and Regional Board coordination
• State wetland definition

Stream and Wetland Systems
Protection Policy (cont.)
• Schedule
• Scientific peer review – Nov. 2009
• Public comment – Spring 2010
• Public adoption hearing – Fall 2010