Clean Water Program

Known as “forever chemicals,” they do not degrade in the environment, and build up in the bodies of people and wildlife over time. Our research provides critical data by monitoring Bay fish and wildlife, tracing these contaminants back to their sources, and tracking levels in Bay water and sediment.

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Our unbiased, scientifically rigorous microplastics data collection and interpretation has provided California policymakers with the science to support bold environmental policies to reduce plastic pollution. Our findings have been cited in important state decisions, including the 2015 ban on plastic microbeads in personal care products and the 2021 California Microplastics Strategy.

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Toxic chemicals from everyday products contaminate aquatic ecosystems and our own bodies. We use innovative monitoring techniques to identify these contaminants in water, sediment, fish, and wildlife, in San Francisco Bay and beyond, and work to connect contaminants back to their sources. Our science directly informs statewide efforts to reduce the use of toxic chemicals and develop safer consumer products for all.

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Many contaminants of high concern accumulate in fish, in the Bay and in water bodies throughout California, leading to advisories recommending limited consumption. The impact of this problem is greatest in shoreline communities that depend on food from the Bay for survival–communities disadvantaged by systemic injustices. SFEI leads fish contamination monitoring in the Bay and across the state, with an emphasis on working toward environmental justice through partnership with highly-impacted communities.

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Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential for the growth of algae, which make up the base of the Bay’s food web. An excess of these nutrients, however, can degrade water quality and lead to harmful algae blooms that block light and deprive aquatic plants and animals of oxygen. SFEI serves as the technical lead for the Bay Nutrient Management Strategy (NMS), researching safe nutrient levels to inform management decisions.

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For three decades, SFEI has managed the Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay. The RMP has been the primary source of information needed to assess a wide range of water quality problems, track long-term trends, and focus management on effective solutions.

The RMP has brought regulators, dischargers, industry representatives, non-governmental organizations, and scientists together around a shared commitment to improving water quality in the Bay.

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