U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting Charleston South Carolina March 8-12,1999--Volume 2 of 3--Contamination of Hydrologic Systems and Related Ecosystems, Water-Resources Investigation Report 99-4018B

Understanding the Human Influence on the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary Ecosystem - The Toxic Substances Hydrology Program and USGS Place-based Studies Program Provide Complimentary Approaches and Results

By James S. Kuwabara, Frederic H. Nichols, Kathryn M. Kuivila, and Jeanne Dileo

This paper is available in pdf format: Kuwabara.pdf

ABSTRACT

The San Francisco Bay-estuary Toxic Substances Hydrology (Toxics) Study is unique among estuarine studies in its long-term approach to quantitatively defining the processes that affect contaminant transport and distribution in major urbanized estuaries. These studies create the scientific foundation from which specific, management oriented problems may be addressed. The necessary balance between maintaining this scientific foundation and responding effectively to critical management issues is demonstrated by the complementary nature of Toxics and USGS Place-based studies in San Francisco Bay. Examples of this programmatic linkage are provided that span wide spatial and temporal scales.