All news related to Bioassessment

Workshop to explore how to incorporate eDNA-based approaches into ocean acidification monitoring

SCCWRP and the California Ocean Protection Council will host a two-day workshop in March exploring how to incorporate environmental DNA (eDNA) methods into regional ocean acidification (OA) monitoring programs that […]

SMC developing workplan for fourth cycle of regional stream monitoring program

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has begun planning for the fourth cycle of its Regional Watershed Monitoring Program – a five-year stream survey that is expected to focus […]

Bight ’23 regional survey assessing ecological health of eelgrass beds for first time

The Southern California Bight 2023 Regional Monitoring Program has completed field sampling for a first-of-its-kind multiagency survey evaluating the health of the region’s eelgrass beds based on their ecological functioning […]

White House releases national eDNA strategy that SCCWRP helped craft

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has unveiled a national strategy intended to bring standardization and consistency to how environmental DNA (eDNA) methods get incorporated into aquatic […]

Screening-level causal assessment tool successfully applied in San Luis Rey River watershed

SCCWRP and its partners have completed a screening-level causal assessment of the San Luis Rey River watershed in San Diego County using an approach co-developed by SCCWRP that rapidly identifies […]

Capacity being built to aid State agencies in protecting healthy streams

SCCWRP has partnered with two State agencies to build their capacity to systematically identify streams in good ecological condition that should be priorities for protection, as well as identify which […]

Bight ’23 kicking off regional assessment of eelgrass bed health

The Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program is kicking off a first-of-its-kind regional monitoring survey this September to evaluate the health of the region’s eelgrass beds based on their ecological […]

Tools being finalized to help determine whether streams subject to Clean Water Act

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are preparing to release final versions of flow classification tools intended to help watershed managers determine which streams […]

Bight program modernizing computational methods for bioassessment scoring tools

The Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program has launched an effort to modernize the computational methods used to score the biological health of organisms living in and on the sediment […]

Framework to be developed to assess aquatic ecosystems from social, environmental justice perspective

SCCWRP and its partners have begun developing a scientific framework to help managers rapidly assess the health of aquatic ecosystems based on the social and environmental justice benefits they provide […]

Expanded study investigating potential bias in bioassessment tools for intermittently flowing streams

SCCWRP and its partners have kicked off the next phase of an ongoing study investigating if a set of bioassessment scoring tools for evaluating the health of California streams is […]

California preparing to implement national eDNA monitoring strategy

SCCWRP and its partners are preparing to lead California in implementing a White House-led national science strategy being released in June that is intended to bring standardization and consistency to […]

Causal assessment study launched in San Luis Rey River watershed

SCCWRP and its partners have launched a causal assessment study in the San Luis Rey River watershed in San Diego County to help managers evaluate the likely vs. unlikely causes […]

SMC study examining why some modified channels are healthier than others

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has launched an investigation into why some streams that have been modified via channel hardening have healthier biological communities than others – part […]

SCCWRP exploring how to integrate coastal estuary monitoring with California State Parks

SCCWRP has begun exploring how to integrate a suite of newly developed tools for monitoring the health of coastal estuaries into California State Parks’ estuarine monitoring and management programs. During […]

Effort launched to develop protective assessment tools for California streams

SCCWRP and its partners have begun developing a suite of tools to help managers identify the specific stressors that present significant ecological risks to California streams that are in good […]

Taxonomic standards developed to support biological indicators for dry streams

SCCWRP and its partners have developed taxonomic data standards for terrestrial arthropods and bryophytes, paving the way for these organisms to be used as routine bioassessment indicators for tracking the […]

SCCWRP aiding U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in overhauling ecological response modeling

SCCWRP has begun working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to overhaul and modernize how the federal agency uses modeling tools to assess the ecological condition of aquatic […]

Analysis initiated to understand how flow patterns affect biological health of modified channels

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has begun examining how flow alterations affect the biological health of streams that have been modified via channel hardening – part of a […]

Field training, intercalibration completed to support two new estuarine monitoring programs

SCCWRP and its partners have completed field training and intercalibration exercises to support a pair of monitoring initiatives intended to collectively generate comprehensive insights about the ecological health of coastal […]

Effort launched to build statewide program for monitoring estuary health

SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to establish a statewide monitoring program for coastal estuaries that is optimally responsive to the needs and priorities of managers. During a workshop […]

SCCWRP member agencies to help inform development of national eDNA strategy

CTAG will host an all-day workshop next month to identify constraints and challenges associated with incorporating environmental DNA (eDNA) methods into aquatic monitoring programs nationwide – the latest in a […]

Consensus reached on priority recommendations for supporting development of national eDNA

A federal task force that includes SCCWRP has reached agreement on the technical and management actions that will need to be taken to support development of a coordinated national strategy […]

Webinar series highlights eDNA methods, applications for environmental monitoring

The California Water Quality Monitoring Council and its partners have launched a six-part webinar series to educate managers and other interested parties on how environmental DNA (eDNA) methods can be […]

Standardized monitoring protocols to enable eelgrass beds to be assessed based on ecological functioning

SCCWRP has completed development of a set of standardized assessment protocols for assessing the health of eelgrass beds based on their ecological functioning. Development of the eelgrass beds monitoring SOPs […]

Coastal managers chart path forward for promoting optimized restoration and assessment of eelgrass beds

The eelgrass habitat suitability model – described in a SCCWRP technical report published in July – will consist of a mechanistic model for predicting eelgrass growth along Southern California’s coast. […]

Training workshop developed to help managers use stream bioassessment data effectively

SCCWRP and its partners have developed a training workshop intended to help managers understand how to appropriately use bioassessment data to protect and restore the health of wadeable streams statewide. […]

State, federal agencies briefed for study examining sediment impacts from oil platform installations

SCCWRP has begun briefing multiple federal and State agencies about plans to evaluate sediment quality near offshore oil platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel – part of a three-year study […]

Modeling tool developed to predict biological consequences of freshwater salinization

SCCWRP and its partners have developed a modeling tool for predicting how aquatic life becomes increasingly stressed as levels of chloride, sulfate and other ions rise in freshwater ecosystems – […]

Statewide monitoring framework published for assessing health of estuaries statewide

SCCWRP and its partners have finalized and published a statewide monitoring framework intended to bring consistency to how California assesses the health of its coastal estuaries. The framework, described in […]

Modeling analysis completed in effort to predict biological consequences of ionic stress

SCCWRP and its partners have completed an analysis of where levels of chlorine, sodium and other ions in the Santa Ana watershed have been elevated above background concentrations – a […]

Toad distribution modeling completed for stream vulnerability study in San Diego

SCCWRP and its partners have completed development of a species distribution model for assessing the vulnerability of the endangered arroyo toad to future changes in stream flow patterns in the […]

Sediment contamination from oil platform installations to be studied for potential ecological impacts

SCCWRP has begun working to study piles of seafloor debris known as shell mounds that were created during installation of 26 offshore oil platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel decades […]

eDNA-based methods being developed to identify endangered, invasive freshwater species

SCCWRP and its partners have begun developing methods for monitoring Southern California endangered and invasive freshwater species by detecting the DNA they shed into their environment, known as environmental DNA […]

Interactive, web-based stream causal assessment tool developed to ID likely causes of degradation

SCCWRP and its partners have developed a user-friendly, web-based tool to help managers rapidly evaluate the likely vs. unlikely causes of degraded biological condition in streams in the San Gabriel […]

Workshop works to transition eDNA methods to managers

More than 300 researchers and environmental managers gathered at SCCWRP and online during a national scientific workshop in September to coordinate and advance strategies for transitioning DNA-based methods for identifying […]

Marine eDNA decay rates to be measured to support development of DNA-based monitoring

SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year study to measure how rapidly the DNA that marine organisms shed into their environment decays in ocean water under different environmental conditions […]

Exploratory work launched to build integrated, multitrophic tool for scoring stream health

SCCWRP and its partners have begun exploring how to build a multitrophic index tool that integrates three lines of evidence about biological condition in wadeable streams to assess overall ecological […]

Hydrologic modeling completed for stream vulnerability study in San Diego region

SCCWRP has developed a set of hydrologic models for the San Diego region to support an ongoing study documenting how changes in stream flow patterns in the coming years are […]

Beta version of stream flow classification tool developed for Great Plains region

SCCWRP and its partners have completed development of the beta version of a tool that can rapidly distinguish among perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams in the U.S. Great Plains region, […]

First regional survey underway to examine health of Southern California eelgrass beds

SCCWRP and its partners have launched a two-year pilot effort to assess the health of Southern California’s coastal eelgrass beds using a new, bioassessment-based monitoring approach that focuses on evaluating […]

Draft science product released to support development of statewide stream policy

SCCWRP and its partners have released for public comment a draft science product that is expected to serve as the technical foundation for the State Water Board in developing a […]

Tool developed to help watershed managers prioritize among multiple stream restoration, protection projects

SCCWRP and its partners have developed a set of tools to help California watershed managers identify watershed restoration and protection projects that are most likely to achieve the greatest improvements […]

Newly discovered algae species named after former SCCWRP scientist

A newly discovered species of algae has been named after former SCCWRP Senior Scientist Dr. A. Elizabeth “Betty” Fetscher in recognition of her decades of contributions to the field of […]

Classification system under development to distinguish among different types of modified channels

SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to build a classification system for distinguishing among different types of modified channels in California – a foundational step toward helping stream managers […]

SMC completes intercalibration for stream monitoring program after 2-year hiatus

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has completed an in-person field intercalibration exercise for its Regional Watershed Monitoring Program that demonstrated that program participants have been able to maintain […]

Modeling tool under development to predict biological consequences of ionic stress

SCCWRP and its partners have begun developing a modeling tool to help Santa Ana River watershed managers understand the relationship between ion levels in the watershed and how aquatic life […]

Study reshapes understanding of how to manage stream flows to protect ecological health

SCCWRP and its partners have completed a two-year study that has helped reshape understanding of how to manage stream flow patterns in California to optimally protect overall ecological health. The […]

First regional survey examining health of Southern California eelgrass beds to be launched

SCCWRP and its partners have developed plans to conduct the first regional monitoring survey examining the health of eelgrass beds across coastal Southern California. The two-year monitoring survey, which will […]

Interactive mapping tool to help managers ID causes of poor stream condition

SCCWRP and its partners are wrapping up production of an initial version of a user-friendly, web-based management tool for helping stream managers rapidly narrow down likely causes of poor stream […]

SMC study to explore options for improving biological health of modified channels

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has approved a three-year, SCCWRP-led study to be launched next year that will evaluate multiple potential management options for improving the biological health […]

International partnership established to assess health of Baja California estuaries

SCCWRP has built a partnership with researchers in Mexico to assess the health of coastal estuaries in Baja California next year using a proposed estuarine monitoring framework developed for California. […]

SCCWRP asked to host national workshop on transitioning eDNA to management applications

SCCWRP has been asked to host a national scientific workshop next year focused on helping water-quality managers make use of the DNA that aquatic organisms shed into their environment – […]

Bight partnerships to expand understanding of acidification

The Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program is partnering with three other West Coast marine monitoring groups this summer to produce the most comprehensive picture to date of how ocean […]

Draft SOPs developed for monitoring estuaries statewide

SCCWRP and its partners have developed a set of standardized methods for collecting field data on the health of California’s coastal estuaries, part of an ongoing effort to develop a […]

Stream causal assessment tool under development to ID likely causes of degradation

SCCWRP and its partners have begun developing a user-friendly, web-based tool to help managers rapidly evaluate the likely vs. unlikely causes of degraded biological condition in streams. The web interface […]

SCCWRP guiding development of DNA-based stream bioassessment programs in Alaska

SCCWRP has begun working with the federal Bureau of Land Management in Alaska to build capacity to evaluate the health of waterways using DNA-based tools for conducting routine bioassessment work. […]

Tool released to help determine whether streams subject to Clean Water Act oversight

A SCCWRP-developed tool that can help watershed managers determine which streams the federal government has jurisdiction to regulate under the Clean Water Act has been released in beta form for […]

Algae DNA being sequenced to build molecular version of stream health scoring tool

SCCWRP and its partners have begun sequencing the DNA of hundreds of stream algae samples in preparation for building a molecular version of the statewide Algal Stream Condition Index scoring […]

Workplan developed for third cycle of SMC’s regional stream monitoring program

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has finalized plans for the third cycle of its Regional Watershed Monitoring Program that kicks off this spring. The cyclical program’s workplan – […]

Study to probe role of channel modification, eutrophication in impacting Central Valley watershed health

SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year effort to determine the degree to which human modifications to Central Valley watersheds are triggering harmful algal blooms and other eutrophication issues […]

Draft protocols developed for standardizing DNA-based sampling, analysis methods

A statewide workgroup led by SCCWRP that has been working to standardize DNA-based sampling and analysis methods for routine aquatic monitoring applications has released its first set of draft protocols […]

Resources unveiled to boost utility, accessibility of stream bioassessment data statewide

SCCWRP has unveiled a comprehensive set of resources intended to overcome common end-user challenges associated with analyzing, accessing and interpreting stream bioassessment data – challenges that have stymied more widespread […]

Stream flow classification tool receives preliminary endorsement, to be rolled out across U.S. Southwest

A new tool that can rapidly distinguish among perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams in the U.S. Southwest has received preliminary endorsement from a technical steering committee, paving the way for […]

Study probing how to apply bioassessment tools to modified channels statewide

SCCWRP has launched a three-year effort to explore when and how bioassessment scoring tools should be used to evaluate the health of California streams that have been modified through channel […]

Three-tiered framework developed for assessing health of seagrass beds

SCCWRP has developed a three-tiered framework incorporating bioassessment methods to help environmental managers across coastal California comprehensively evaluate the health of eelgrass and other types of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). […]

Pilot study incorporates eDNA identification methods into routine stream monitoring

SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a proof-of-concept study that regional stream monitoring programs can be used to track endangered and invasive aquatic species using the environmental DNA – […]

Guidance developed on how to work through issues affecting usability of stream bioassessment data

SCCWRP has developed detailed guidance for California watershed managers on how to identify and work through common factors that can affect the usability of stream bioassessment data, including when it’s […]

Ecological health of areas near offshore oil platforms evaluated

SCCWRP and the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have completed a two-year study examining the ecological health of the area surrounding offshore oil platforms in the Santa Barbara […]

DNA-based methods for identifying algae shown to be reliable, possibly more insightful

SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a proof-of-concept study that using DNA methods to conduct algae-based assessments of stream health offers a reliable, cost-effective alternative to traditional biological assessment […]

Ephemeral stream bioassessment tools show promise for monitoring oil spills

SCCWRP and its partners at California State University, Monterey Bay, have shown in a proof-of-concept study that bioassessment tools designed to evaluate the health of ephemeral streams have the potential […]

Study launched to determine chances of improving condition of Bay Area streams

SCCWRP has been invited by stormwater managers in the San Francisco Bay Area to participate in a one-year study that will shed light on where managers are more vs. less […]

DNA-based algae identification methods show promise for stream condition assessments

SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a proof-of-concept study that DNA sequencing methods have the potential to be incorporated into algae-based assessments of stream condition. During the multi-year study […]

Ephemeral streams condition index being developed using locally collected bioindicator data

SCCWRP and its partners have begun using biological indicator data collected from dry streams across Southern California to refine the design of a set of new tools for assessing ephemeral […]

Study completed to characterize benthic infaunal communities living in Bight continental slope

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and SCCWRP have completed a three-year project to comprehensively characterize sediment-dwelling infaunal communities that live in the continental slope region of the […]

Three key stream condition indicators integrated via index

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) and SCCWRP have developed a new assessment tool that synthesizes three key lines of evidence about the ecological health of wadeable streams to […]

Science products endorsed as foundation for crafting statewide stream policy

An expert scientific panel has endorsed a set of draft science products developed by SCCWRP as a strong technical foundation for crafting a State Water Board policy intended to better […]

Bioassessment scores to be extrapolated for 4 modified streams via statistical modeling

SCCWRP and its partners have launched a one-year study to determine the geographical extent to which ecological condition scores calculated for four modified streams in California may be extrapolated […]

New modeling tool to help speed up causal assessment work

SCCWRP and its partners have developed a statistical modeling tool for conducting causal assessments that could help shave a year or more off the time required to narrow down potential […]

Study examining extrapolation limits of bioassessment scores in engineered channels

SCCWRP and its partners have launched a study exploring the spatial extent to which ecological condition scores calculated for sites in engineered and modified channels may be extrapolated to upstream […]

SCCWRP participating in EPA study on how green infrastructure influences stream water quality

SCCWRP has been asked to participate in a national study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development evaluating whether low impact development (LID) solutions for improving […]

Expert panel reviewing science tools for proposed stream biointegrity-biostimulatory policy

A panel of scientific experts has launched a comprehensive review of a suite of technical products co-authored by SCCWRP that are intended to support the State Water Board in developing […]

Scoring tool developed to quantify habitat condition

SCCWRP and its partners have developed a statewide scoring tool for quantifying the condition of a stream’s physical habitat, enabling watershed managers for the first time to readily interpret and […]

Science tools for proposed stream biointegrity-biostimulatory policy released in draft form

The State Water Board has published draft versions of a suite of technical reports, journal manuscripts and tools co-authored by SCCWRP that will serve as the technical foundation for the […]

New workgroup to standardize DNA-based methods for routine aquatic monitoring

The California Water Quality Monitoring Council has formed a statewide workgroup to be led by SCCWRP that will examine how to bring greater consistency and standardization to DNA-based analysis methods […]

Ephemeral stream scoring tools being transitioned to management use

A new set of tools co-developed by SCCWRP to assess the condition of ephemeral streams when they are dry is being transitioned to pilot testing by the end-user management community. […]

Effort launched to develop West Coast DNA barcoding library for marine invertebrates

The Smithsonian Institute has partnered with SCCWRP, the Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program and the Western Association of Marine Labs to begin developing a DNA barcoding library that […]

Agreement reached on DNA processing, analysis methods for stream food webs study

The technical advisory group for a study examining how ecological stress alters the complexity and interconnectedness of stream food webs has reached agreement on the DNA processing and analysis methods […]

Effort launched to develop prototype causal assessment screening tool

SCCWRP and its partners in October began developing a management tool for rapidly narrowing down potential causes of degraded ecological condition in California streams and coastal waters, part of an […]

Study shows flow classification tool can be adapted to distinguish intermittent and ephemeral streams in Southwest

SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a proof-of-concept study that a flow classification tool that can rapidly distinguish intermittent streams from ephemeral streams in the Pacific Northwest is feasible […]

Study exploring how to dramatically streamline stream causal assessments

SCCWRP and its partners have begun test-driving a novel approach to assessing stream health that has the potential to shave a year or more off the time required to determine […]

Study sheds light on how to improve DNA sequencing analysis methods to ID organisms

SCCWRP and its partners have completed a two-year study shedding light on best-practices approaches for analyzing raw DNA sequencing data to identify the organisms present in an environmental sample, the […]

Stream food webs to be examined in study to better integrate stream assessment tools

SCCWRP and its partners have launched a three-year effort to better integrate stream condition assessment tools in California by examining how ecological stress alters the complexity and interconnectedness of stream […]

Management impacts of stream biointegrity policies explored in new SMC report

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has released a comprehensive new report chronicling how the region’s stream management community will potentially be impacted by new and proposed changes to […]

Science tools for proposed biointegrity-biostimulatory policy to be released this summer

SCCWRP and its partners will begin soliciting public comments this summer on a series of new scientific tools and synthesis reports that will form the technical backbone for a proposed […]

EPA Pacific Northwest stream tool being tested in Southwest

SCCWRP and its partners have launched a study to investigate whether a stream management tool that can rapidly distinguish intermittent streams from ephemeral streams in the Pacific Northwest is feasible […]

Algae-based stream scoring tool to be finalized this fall

An assessment tool that will score the ecological health of California wadeable streams by analyzing algal communities is scheduled to be finalized and published as early as this fall. The […]

New interactive mapping app helps visualize chances of improving stream condition

SCCWRP and its partners have developed a web-based interactive mapping program to help stream managers visualize where in the San Gabriel River watershed they are more vs. less likely to […]

Causal assessment tools being tested in pair of case studies

SCCWRP and its partners have initiated a pair of case studies to demonstrate a set of new causal assessment tools designed to rapidly narrow potential causes of degraded ecological condition […]

Effort launched to adapt ephemeral stream bioassessment tools for oil spill monitoring

SCCWRP and its partners have kicked off a study examining whether bioassessment tools being developed to assess the health of ephemeral streams also can be used to assess ecological damage […]

Technical foundation created for ephemeral stream tools

SCCWRP and its partners have completed a pair of studies that establish a technical foundation for building watershed management tools for Southern California streams that run dry for much of […]

DNA sequencing used to identify larval fish

SCCWRP and its partners have completed a proof-of-concept study showing that DNA sequencing methods can be used to identify communities of ichthyoplankton, or the eggs and larvae of fish, collected […]

Stream assessment tool under development to score physical habitat condition

SCCWRP and its partners have developed a preliminary version of a stream assessment tool that can quantitatively score the condition of physical habitat using field data collected during routine monitoring […]

Condition bioindicators to be developed for ephemeral streams

SCCWRP and its partners are launching a three-year project to develop bioindicators for ephemeral streams in California and Arizona, following the successful completion of a proof-of-concept study showing that these […]

Initial development work completed for algae-based stream scoring tool

SCCWRP and its partners have completed initial development work on an assessment tool that will score the ecological health of California wadeable streams by analyzing the condition of in-stream algal […]

SCCWRP exploring expanded use of extrapolation modeling technique for stream condition assessments

SCCWRP and its partners are exploring how to expand use of a modeling technique for extrapolating bioassessment results to unmonitored stream reaches, following the completion of a pilot study that […]

SCCWRP begins documenting persistence of eDNA in stream environments

SCCWRP has completed a pilot study examining how long the environmental DNA signal of an organism lingers in a stream following the removal of the source organism, part of an […]

SMC kicks off Year 3 field sampling for second cycle of stream monitoring program

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition in March kicked off Year 3 of field sampling for the second five-year cycle of its regional stream monitoring program. The SMC Regional Watershed […]

Demonstration maps reveal extrapolation limits of stream condition scores

SCCWRP has generated a series of maps that reveal the geographical extent to which ecological condition scores calculated for stream sampling sites may be extrapolated to unsampled reaches upstream and […]

SMC completes analysis of bioassessment scores for engineered channels

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition has completed a comprehensive analysis of the range of ecological condition scores obtained when engineered channels across coastal Southern California are scored using existing […]

Experts create gradient for interpreting stream scores

A 16-member expert panel convened to interpret bioassessment scores for wadeable streams statewide has reached consensus on how the scores correspond to various ranges of ecological condition. The Biological Condition […]

Year 1 field sampling wraps up for developing intermittent stream bioindicators

SCCWRP and its partners have completed Year 1 of field sampling for a study investigating the feasibility of using terrestrial arthropods, riparian insects and bryophytes (e.g., mosses) to assess the […]

Year 1 field sampling wraps up for developing intermittent stream bioindicators

Expert panel weighs in on extrapolation limits of stream condition scores

SCCWRP and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife convened an expert panel in September to review how far stream condition scores calculated for a given stream sampling site can […]

Sampling completed for ichthyoplankton project

SCCWRP and two of its member agencies completed field sampling in June for a project that will evaluate DNA-based methods for identifying ichthyoplankton, which are the eggs and larvae of […]

Arthropods, bryophytes being developed as condition bioindicators for intermittent streams

SCCWRP and California State University, Monterey Bay, in June launched a study to investigate the feasibility of using terrestrial arthropods and bryophytes (e.g., mosses) to assess the biological condition of […]

Method comparison study seeks to assess utility of using DNA to identify stream algae

SCCWRP and its partners have launched a first-of-its-kind study to determine whether DNA-based methods can reliably be used to identify algae in wadeable streams across California, a finding that could […]

Study to investigate extrapolation limits of stream condition scores

SCCWRP and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in August will launch a study seeking to clarify how far stream condition scores calculated for a single stream site can […]

SCCWRP unveils algaeMetrics tool to simplify algae-based bioassessment calculations

SCCWRP has created a free online tool to help Southern California stream managers and scientists automatically generate stream bioassessment scores using raw algae data collected from wadeable streams. The algaeMetrics […]

SCCWRP hosts kickoff meeting to develop statewide algae assessment program

SCCWRP hosted a day-long kickoff meeting with state, federal and local agencies in January to begin developing a statewide freshwater bioassessment program that uses algae as the indicator of waterbody […]

SCCWRP transitioning new stream condition scoring tool to managers

SCCWRP and its partners have launched a series of outreach and training exercises to teach watershed managers how to use a new scoring tool for evaluating the biological health of […]

Expert panel evaluates SCCWRP nutrient science plan

A four-member expert review panel tasked with reviewing a science plan supporting the State Water Board’s effort to develop nutrient objectives for California wadeable streams has concluded that SCCWRP’s approach […]

CTAG user groups delve into next-gen tech projects at first meetings

Two new CTAG user groups that will pool together resources and expertise from SCCWRP’s member agencies to tackle next-generation data acquisition and visualization technology projects met for the first time […]

Standard protocols for estuary assessments published in manual

The Santa Monica Bay Foundation and its partners, including SCCWRP, have completed a draft guidance document that establishes standard protocols for monitoring and assessing coastal lagoons and intertidal estuaries in […]

SCCWRP applies bioassessment index to streams statewide

A new scoring tool that was developed to assess the biological condition of California’s wadeable streams has been applied for the first time to all wadeable streams statewide, with the […]

Stream survey tracks biological degradation across Southern California

A five-year monitoring study of Southern California’s perennial wadeable streams has found that 75% of the region’s 4,300 miles of streams are degraded, with no discernable improvements in the health […]

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