| Project Description |
Project Dates: 2003 |
Though many organizations conduct environmental monitoring to assess the potential effects of human activities on southern California's coastal ocean, only 5% of the area of the Southern California Bight is routinely monitored. Most of this monitoring focuses on tracking individual sources of waste discharge. In addition, the parameters, frequency, and methodology used for monitoring programs differ among agencies, hampering data integration. Although high-quality data are generally collected, the collection methods are not designed to describe large-scale changes or to assess cumulative impacts from multiple sources. To improve the efficacy of existing monitoring programs, and improve capacity for regional assessments, SCCWRP initiated a series of monitoring efforts throughout the SCB in 1994, 1998, 2003, and 2008.
Monitoring Objectives
- Assess condition of the living marine resources in the Bight and evaluate effects of their exposure to pollutants.
- Determine whether routine shoreline monitoring, which samples in shallow water, is protective of surfers who swim in deeper water.
- Define the offshore effects of runoff from coastal watersheds and assess how remote sensing tools can help address that question.
Survey Area - Sampling Locations for Bight 2003
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