California recently adopted an innovative framework for assessing sediment quality impacts to the benthic community based upon multiple lines of evidence. The seven articles in the series address one aspect of a multi-phase project to define sediment quality objectives, including a new sediment quality guideline (SQG) index.Steve Bay, Guest Editor of the special series “California Sediment Quality Objectives,” describes how the series articles define sediment quality objectives for California that will be used to protect fish, wildlife, benthic invertebrates, and even humans. Access the series in the October 2012 issue of IEAM.

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About the Guest

Steve Bay is a Principal Scientist with the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP), where he conducts research into the linkage between chemical contamination and biological effects. He frequently advises California and federal agencies on water and sediment quality issues and has helped coordinate several large-scale regional monitoring surveys of water quality in southern California. Steve’s current research includes developing sediment quality assessment frameworks for the California Water Board and investigating the impacts of contaminants of emerging concern on aquatic organisms.

Articles Referenced in this Podcast
Beegan C and Bay S. 2012. Transitioning sediment quality assessment into regulations: Challenges and solutions in implementing California’s sediment quality objectives. IEAM 8#4:586-588.

Bay S and Weisberg S. 2012. Framework for interpreting sediment quality triad data. IEAM 8#4:589-596.

Bay et al. 2012. Comparison of national and regional sediment quality guidelines for classifying sediment toxicity in California. IEAM 8#4:597-609.

Ritter et al. 2012. Development and evaluation of sediment quality guidelines based on benthic macrofauna responses. IEAM 8#4:610-624.

Greenstein D and Bay S. 2012. Selection of methods for assessing sediment toxicity in California bays and estuaries. IEAM 8#4:625-637.

Ranasinghe et al. 2012. Habitat-related benthic macrofaunal assemblages of bays and estuaries of the western United States. IEAM 8#4:638-648.

Hammerstrom et al. 2012. Effect of sample area and sieve size on benthic macrofaunal community condition assessments in California enclosed bays and estuaries. IEAM 8#4:649-658.

Maruya et al. 2012. Incorporating contaminant bioavailability into sediment quality assessment frameworks. IEAM 8#4:659-673.