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Name
Ruth Askevold
SFEI Author Profile
Ruth Askevold
Scanning Bay Sediment for Unexpected Contaminants

In 2018, the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) launched an innovative investigation to detect contaminants that were either new to Bay sediment or had previously gone undetected. This study used nontarget analysis, a powerful tool that provides a broad, open-ended view of thousands of synthetic and naturally derived chemicals simultaneously. A leader in using novel technologies to inform decision making, the RMP has explored Bay water quality with nontarget analysis for over two decades. However, sediment had been underexplored with nontarget analysis until this study.

Preferred Citation
Published Document
Attachment Size
Scanning Sediment NTA Fact Sheet High Res 4.42 MB
Scanning Sediment NTA Fact Sheet Low Res 504.98 KB
Author
Ezra Miller
Sierra Garcia
Ruth Askevold
Jennifer Symonds
Rebecca Sutton
Programs and Focus Areas
Clean Water Program
Emerging Contaminants
Bay Regional Monitoring Program
RMP Annual Reports and Fact Sheets
RMP Special Studies on Priority Topics
Place Published
Richmond, CA
Publisher
San Francisco Estuary Institute
Photo of two scientists in hard hats, life vests, and gloves on a boat above title "Scanning Bay Sediment for Unexpected Contaminants"

Associated Projects
Sneed, A; McKnight, K; Askevold, RA. 2025. A Five-Year Roadmap for the Adaptation Atlas. SFEI Contribution No. 1241. San Francisco Estuary Institute: Richmond, CA. p. 15.
Published Document
Attachment Size
5 Year Roadmap Adaptation Atlas, version 6 11.68 MB
Grossinger, RM; Collins, JN; Askevold, RA. 2005. T-Sheet User Guide: Application of the Historical U.S. Coast Survey Maps to Environmental Management in the San Francisco Bay Area. SFEI Contribution No. 427. San Francisco Estuary Institute: SF. p. 45.
Published Document
Attachment Size
T_sheet_user_guide_SFEI_highres_0.pdf 8.6 MB
Grossinger, RM; Askevold, RA. 2005. Baylands and Creeks of South San Francisco Bay. Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland CA.
Published Document
Attachment Size
05SOE_historical_sideB_MedRes.pdf 8.17 MB
Grossinger, RM; Collins, JN; Cayce, K; Askevold, RA; Featherston, T; Zhang, E. 2006. U.S. Coast Survey Maps of SFBay.
Beller, EE; Grossinger, RM; Askevold, RA; Pearce, SA; Collins, JN; McKee, LJ; Hoenicke, R; Gardner, S. 2007. Streams, Wetlands, and Woodlands in the Napa Valley: New Perspectives from Old Maps. Oakland, CA.
Published Document
Attachment Size
SOE07HEposterBeller_finalHiRes_1.pdf 2.7 MB
Grossinger, RM; Askevold, RA; Striplen, CJ; Brewster, E; Pearce, SA; Cayce, K; McKee, LJ; Collins, JN. 2006. Coyote Creek Watershed Historical Ecology Study: Historical Conditions and Landscape Change in the Eastern Santa Clara Valley, California. SFEI Contribution No. 426. San Francisco Estuary Institute.
Published Document
Attachment Size
CoyoteCreek_HistoricalEcology_SFEI_2006.pdf 188.33 MB
executive_summary_8.5x11_CoyoteCk_HE_SFEI_2006.pdf 27.61 MB
executive_summary_11x17_CoyoteCk_HE_SFEI_2006.pdf 27.49 MB
Grossinger, RM; Striplen, CJ; Askevold, RA; Brewster, E; Beller, EE. 2007. Historical landscape ecology of an urbanized California valley: wetlands and woodlands in the Santa Clara Valley. Landscape Ecology, 103-120.
Grossinger, RM; Salomon, M; Striplen, CJ; Beller, EE; Askevold, RA. 2007. Historical Ecology of South Santa Clara County: Preliminary Findings. A Technical Memorandum to the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan. SFEI Contribution No. 527.
Published Document
Attachment Size
SFEI_SCVHCP_technical_memo_final_draft_99.pdf 36.53 MB
Salomon, M; Grossinger, RM; Dawson, A; Askevold, RA. 2008. An Introduction to the Historical Ecology of the Sonoma Creek Watershed: a Tool for the Critical Coastal Area Action Plan. San Francisco Estuary Institute.
Published Document
Attachment Size
Sonoma_Creek_Watershed_Intro.pdf 20.83 MB
Grossinger, RM; Beller, EE; Salomon, M; Whipple, A; Askevold, RA; Striplen, CJ; Brewster, E; Leidy, RA. 2008. South Santa Clara Valley Historical Ecology Study, including Soap Lake, the Upper Pajaro River, and Llagas, Uvas-Carnadero, and Pacheco Creeks.
Published Document
Attachment Size
SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_CompleteReport_LowResolution.pdf 26.39 MB
Executive_Summary_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy.pdf 6.81 MB
1_2_Intro_GeneralMethods_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 14.42 MB
3_landusehistory_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 20.34 MB
4_streams_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 51.26 MB
5_wetlands_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 42.1 MB
6_oaks_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 33.12 MB
7_landscape_patterns_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 63.69 MB
Grossinger, RM; Collins, JN; Cayce, K; Askevold, RA; Featherston, T; Zhang, E. 2006. U.S. Coast Survey Maps of SFBay.
Beller, EE; Whipple, A; Askevold, RA; Grossinger, RM; Fateman, A; Kopchik, J; Striplen, CJ; McRose, D; Salomon, M. 2007. East Contra Costa County Historical Ecology Study: Introductory Brochure.
Published Document
Attachment Size
Contra_Costa_County_single_pages_lowest_res.pdf 8.81 MB
Beller, EE; Grossinger, RM; Askevold, RA; Pearce, SA; Collins, JN; McKee, LJ; Hoenicke, R; Gardner, S. 2007. Streams, Wetlands, and Woodlands in the Napa Valley: New Perspectives from Old Maps. Oakland, CA.
Published Document
Attachment Size
SOE07HEposterBeller_finalHiRes_1.pdf 2.7 MB
Grossinger, RM; Beller, EE; Salomon, M; Whipple, A; Askevold, RA; Striplen, CJ; Brewster, E; Leidy, RA. 2008. South Santa Clara Valley Historical Ecology Study, including Soap Lake, the Upper Pajaro River, and Llagas, Uvas-Carnadero, and Pacheco Creeks.
Published Document
Attachment Size
SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_CompleteReport_LowResolution.pdf 26.39 MB
Executive_Summary_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy.pdf 6.81 MB
1_2_Intro_GeneralMethods_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 14.42 MB
3_landusehistory_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 20.34 MB
4_streams_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 51.26 MB
5_wetlands_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 42.1 MB
6_oaks_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 33.12 MB
7_landscape_patterns_SouthSantaClaraValleyHEStudy_HighResolution.pdf 63.69 MB
Askevold, RA. 2009. The Historical Ecology of Eastern Contra Costa County: Preliminary Findings. Contra Costa, Martinez, John Muir House.
Askevold, RA. 2010. Using GIS to Recreate Historical Habitat Patterns.
Askevold, RA. 2009. Clues on the Map: Using Historical Maps to Recreate California Indigenous Landscapes in a GIS. UC Berkeley.
Askevold, RA. 2009. Historical Ecology Helps Design Natural Flood Protection Strategies.
Askevold, RA; Fateman, A; Whipple, A; Stanford, B; Grossinger, RM; Kopchik, J. 2009. Historical Ecology Informing Restoration in East Contra Costa County: Wetland Restoration Opportunities on a Tributary to Brushy Creek (Souza II Property).
Published Document
Attachment Size
SOE_HistoricalEcology_ContraCosta_v4_lowres.pdf 4.77 MB
Askevold, RA. 2009. Reoccupying historical maps to recreate historical landscape.
Salomon, M; Grossinger, RM; Askevold, RA; Beller, EE; Whipple, A. 2011. Santa Clara Valley Historical Ecology GIS Data.
Grossinger, RM et al. 2012. Napa Valley Historical Ecology Atlas: Exploring a Hidden Landscape of Transformation and Resilience. UC Press: Berkeley. p. 223.
Askevold, RA; Whipple, A; Grossinger, RM; Stanford, B; Salomon, M .N. 2011. East Contra Costa Historical Ecology Study GIS data, GIS data produced for the East Contra Costa County Historical Ecology Study.
Beller, EE; Safran, SM; Grossinger, RM; Grenier, L; Whipple, A; Beagle, J; Robinson, A; Askevold, RA. 2012. Developing Tools for Landscape-Scale Restoration in the Delta. Sacramento, CA.
Published Document
Attachment Size
DS_Poster_Final_Draft_v2-web.pdf 4.59 MB
Stanford, B; Grossinger, RM; Askevold, RA; Whipple, A; Leidy, RA; Beller, EE; Salomon, M .N.; Striplen, CJ. 2011. East Contra Costa Historical Ecology Study. SFEI Contribution No. 648. SFEI: Oakland.
Published Document
Attachment Size
East_Contra_Costa_Historical_Ecology_Study_Final_(lowres).pdf 17.71 MB
Part_1_East_Contra_Costa_Historical_Ecology_Study_Final(highres)_FM_Pages_1to26.pdf 123.69 MB
Part_2_East_Contra_Costa_Historical_Ecology_Study_Final(highres)_Pages_27to70.pdf 149.82 MB
Part_3_East_Contra_Costa_Historical_Ecology_Study_Final(highres)_Pages_71to118.pdf 193.36 MB
Grossinger, RM; Salomon, M; Askevold, RA; Stanford, B. 2011. Napa Historical Ecology Atlas GIS data.
Whipple, A; Askevold, RA; Rankin, D; Stanford, B; Salomon, M. 2012. Delta Historical Ecology GIS Data.
Beller, EE; Askevold, RA; Grossinger, RM. 2014. Futures Past Exploring California landscapes with the San Francisco Estuary Institute. Boom: The Journal of California . pp. 4-27.
Beller, EE; Askevold, RA; Grossinger, RM. 2014. Futures Past: Exploring California Landscapes with SFEI. Boom: A Journal of California, 4, 24.
Robinson, A; Safran, SM; Beagle, J; Grossinger, RM; Grenier, L; Askevold, RA. 2014. A Delta Transformed: Ecological Functions, Spatial Metrics, and Landscape Change in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. SFEI Contribution No. 729. San Francisco Estuary Institute - Aquatic Science Center: Richmond, CA.
Published Document
Attachment Size
DeltaTransformed_SFEI_110414.pdf 58.56 MB
DeltaTransformed_SFEI_110414_medres_twoupview.pdf 11.76 MB
Baumgarten, SA; Beller, EE; Grossinger, RM; Striplen, CJ; Brown, H; Dusterhoff, SD; Salomon, M; Askevold, RA. 2014. Historical Changes in Channel Alignment along Lower Laguna de Santa Rosa and Mark West Creek. SFEI: Richmond, CA.
Published Document
Attachment Size
HistoricalChangesChannelAlignmentLagunaMarkWest_SFEI_2014.pdf 9.78 MB
Dusterhoff, SD; Doehring, C; Baumgarten, SA; Grossinger, RM; Askevold, RA. 2016. Resilient Landscape Vision for Lower Walnut Creek: Baseline Information and Management Strategies. An SFEI-ASC Resilient Landscape Program report developed in cooperation with the Flood Control 2.0 Regional Science Advisors andContra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. SFEI Contribution No. 782.
Published Document
Attachment Size
Walnut Creek vision - medium resolution for screen viewing 17.42 MB
Walnut Creek vision - high resolution for printing 44.8 MB
Grossinger, RM; Dusterhoff, SD; Doehring, C; Salomon, M; Askevold, RA. 2015. Novato Creek Baylands Vision: Integrating ecological functions and flood protection within a climate-resilient landscape. SFEI Contribution No. 764.
Published Document
Attachment Size
NovatoCkBaylandsVision_FC2pt0_SFEI_2015.pdf 21.5 MB
Salomon, M; Baumgarten, SA; Dusterhoff, SD; Beller, EE; Askevold, RA. 2015. Novato Creek Baylands Historical Ecology Study. SFEI Contribution No. 740. San Francisco Estuary Institute - Aquatic Science Center: Richmond, CA.
Published Document
Attachment Size
NOVATO CREEK BAYLANDS historical ecology study 27.13 MB
Salomon, M; Dusterhoff, SD; Askevold, RA; Grossinger, RM. 2016. San Francisquito Creek Baylands: Landscape Change Metrics Analysis. SFEI Contribution No. 784. San Francisco Estuary Institute - Aquatic Science Center: Richmond, CA. p. 12.
Published Document
Attachment Size
FloodControl2pt0_SanFrancisquitoCreekBaylands__SFEI_2016.pdf 6.19 MB
Dusterhoff, SD; Pearce, SA; McKee, LJ; Doehring, C; Beagle, J; McKnight, K; Grossinger, RM; Askevold, RA. 2017. Changing Channels: Regional Information for Developing Multi-benefit Flood Control Channels at the Bay Interface. SFEI Contribution No. 801.
Published Document
Attachment Size
Changing Channels: Regional Information for Developing Multi-benefit Flood Control Channels-high resolution for printing 62.69 MB
Changing Channels: Regional Information for Developing Multi-benefit Flood Control Channels-medium resolution for screen viewing 23.02 MB
Robinson, A; Beagle, J; Safran, SM; McKnight, K; Grenier, L; Askevold, RA. 2017. Delta Landscapes: A Delta Renewed User Guide. SFEI Contribution No. 854.
Published Document
Attachment Size
DeltaLandscapes_DeltaRenewed_UserGuide_051618.pdf 28.86 MB
Robinson, A; Beagle, J; Safran, SM; McKnight, K; Grenier, L; Askevold, RA. 2017. Delta Landscapes Executive Summary. SFEI Contribution No. 853.
Published Document
Attachment Size
DeltaLandscapes_ExecutiveSummary_051618.pdf 23.99 MB
Beagle, J; Richey, A; Hagerty, S; Salomon, M; Askevold, RA; Grossinger, RM; Reynolds, P; McClain, C; Spangler, W; Quinn, M; Stephens, D. 2017. Sycamore Alluvial Woodland: Habitat Mapping and Regeneration Study. SFEI Contribution No. 816.
Published Document
Attachment Size
high resolution - for printing 53.95 MB
medium resolution - for screen viewing 21.31 MB