- Status & Trends Design Revision Report (Coming Soon)
- Copper Rolling Average
- Cyanide Rolling Average
- Dredged Material Testing Thresholds for San Francisco Bay Area Sediment
- Status & Trends: Procedures for the Collection and Storage of Environmental Samples in the RMP Specimen Bank
- Status & Trends NIST Sample Archive Documentation
- RMP Sampling Station Maps 2019 Quality Assurance Program Plan
- Field Operations Manual
- 2019 Status and Trends Monitoring - Sampling Plans and QA Reports
- 2018 Status and Trends Monitoring - Sampling Plans and QA Reports
- 2017 Status and Trends Monitoring - Sampling Plans and QA Reports
- 2016 Status and Trends Monitoring - Sampling Plans and QA Reports
- Changes to the RMP
- Dioxin Monitoring Status & Trends Monitoring Design - 2018 Update
- Table of RMP Sampling Plans, QAPPs, Cruise Reports, and QA Summaries By Matrix & Year
Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay
Projects Related to the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay
Archive Sample Tool
The Archive Sample Tool provides a web interface that SFEI researchers can use to browse the RMP archives when considering using archive material for a study. The RMP has been collecting archive samples during each sampling event for sediment, bivalve, fish and birds since the early 1990's. These samples are available to SFEI researchers with RMP Program Manager approval, and can be requested directly from the tool.
Publications related to the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay
The Institute has collectively produced more than 1300 reports, articles, and other publications over the course of its 24-year existence. The following list represents those publications associated with this individual program and its focus areas.
Year of Publication: 2020
2020 Bay RMP Detailed Workplan and Budget. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2020 . Report No.: 980. 
(359.38 KB)
(359.38 KB) Year of Publication: 2019
. 2019 RMP Contaminant Concentrations in San Francisco Bay Sportfish Cruise Report. Moss Landing, CA: Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories; 2019 . Report No.: 968. (12.28 MB)
(12.28 MB) . 2019 RMP Water Cruise Report. Livermore, CA: Applied Marine Sciences; 2019 . Report No.: 967. (321.45 KB)
(321.45 KB) . Characterization of Sediment Contamination in South Bay Margin Areas. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2019 . Report No.: 962. (6.05 MB)
(6.05 MB) . San Francisco Bay Triennial Bird Egg Monitoring Program for Contaminants, California—2018. Reston, Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey; 2019 . (1.43 MB)
(1.43 MB) Year of Publication: 2018
. 2017 RMP Bay Margins Sediment Samples Quality Assurance Report. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2018 . (210.1 KB)
(210.1 KB) . 2017 RMP Water Samples Quality Assurance Report. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2018 . (212.28 KB)
(212.28 KB) . 2017 Update to Cyanide Rolling Average. 2018. (1.13 MB)
(1.13 MB) 2017 Water Cruise - Copper and Cyanide Sampling Map. 2018. 
(1.16 MB)
(1.16 MB) . 2018 Bivalve Retrieval Cruise Report. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute ; 2018 . Report No.: 920. (738.95 KB)
(738.95 KB) . 2018 RMP Bird Egg Monitoring Sampling and Analysis Plan. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2018 . Report No.: 891. (882.63 KB)
(882.63 KB) . 2018 RMP Bivalve Deployment Cruise Plan. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2018 . Report No.: 892. (268.38 KB)
(268.38 KB) . 2018 RMP Bivalve Deployment Cruise Report. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute ; 2018 . Report No.: 903. (846.17 KB)
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Since its inception in 1993, the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) has provided the information that regulators and decision-makers need to manage Bay water quality effectively. The RMP is an innovative collaborative effort between SFEI, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the regulated discharger community.
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An innovative partnership
The RMP combines shared financial support, direction, and participation by regulatory agencies and the regulated community in a model of collective responsibility. The RMP has established a climate of cooperation and a commitment to participation among a wide range of regulators, dischargers, industry representatives, non-governmental agencies, and scientists. The RMP provides an open forum for interested parties to discuss contaminant issues facing the Bay.
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An adaptive, long-term program of study in support of management
Stable funding has enabled the RMP to develop and implement long-term monitoring plans. In addition, Special Studies provide an opportunity to adapt to changing management priorities and advances in scientific understanding. RMP committees and workgroups meet regularly to keep the Program efficient, focused on the highest priority issues, and to ensure that RMP science is sound. The RMP has continually adapted and improved since its inception in 1993.
- A high quality body of knowledge
The RMP has produced a world-class dataset on estuarine contaminants. RMP monitoring determines spatial patterns and long-term trends in contamination through sampling of water, sediment, bivalves, bird eggs, and fish, and evaluates toxic effects on sensitive organisms and chemical loading to the Bay. The Program combines RMP data with data from other sources to provide for comprehensive assessment of chemical contamination in the Bay.
- A portal to information about contamination in San Francisco Bay
The RMP provides information targeted at the highest priority questions faced by Bay water quality managers. The RMP produces summary reports (The Pulse of The Bay and RMP Update), technical reports that document specific studies and synthesize information from diverse sources, and journal publications that disseminate RMP results to the world’s scientific community. The RMP website provides access to RMP data, information products, and links to other sources of information about water quality in San Francisco Bay.
THE RMP DOCUMENT ARCHIVES
This archive contains important documents relating to the establishment and development of the RMP.
Laying the Foundations: Establishing the RMP
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| Carlin and Mumley. 1990. San Francisco Estuary Monitoring Program: Working Paper #1. | San Francisco Bay Water Board Resolution No. 92-043 (April 1992): Implementation of the Regional Monitoring Plan within the San Francisco Bay Region | 13267 Letter (June 1992) from Water Board to Dischargers: Implementation of a Regional Monitoring Program for the San Francisco Estuary | Memorandum of Understanding Between the Water Board and AHI Concerning Implementation of the RMP (1992) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Early RMP Reports
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Status and Trends Monitoring Elements
The RMP has a long-term Status and Trends Monitoring Program that began in 1993. The monitoring design has evolved over time, including a major design evaluation and revision in 2022. The elements currently (2023) include the following, as described in the report on the 2002 design revision process (coming soon):
- Water
- Dry season (every 2 years)
- Wet season (annually as a pilot study from 2022-2024)
- Sediment
- Deep Bay (every 5 years)
- Margins (every 5 years)
- Near-field (every 5 years)
- Sport fish (every 5 years)
- Bird eggs (every 3 years)
- Prey fish (every 5 years)
- Marine mammals (pilot study in 2023-2024)
- Long-term hydrographic and suspended sediment studies by the U.S. Geological Survey (annually)
The Archive Sample Tool provides a web interface that SFEI researchers can use to browse the RMP archives when considering using archive material for a study. The RMP has been collecting archive samples during each sampling event for sediment, bivalve, fish and birds since the early 1990's. These samples are available to SFEI researchers with RMP Program Manager approval, and can be requested directly from the tool.
Status & Trends Design Revision Report (Coming Soon)
RMP Sampling Station Maps
Changes to the RMP
Status & Trends Monitoring Design - 2018 Update
Melwani power analysis report
Lowe et al Redesign report
Year of Publication: 2023
Year of Publication: 2022
Year of Publication: 2021
Year of Publication: 2020
Year of Publication: 2019
Year of Publication: 2018
Year of Publication: 2017
Year of Publication: 2016
Year of Publication: 2015
Year of Publication: 2014
Year of Publication: 2013
Year of Publication: 2011
Year of Publication: 2001
Year of Publication: 1987
Approximately one-third of the RMP budget each year is allocated to an array of special studies on a wide variety of topics. The RMP workgroups develop the multi-year plans for the studies and provide peer review. More information is available on the pages for the RMP workgroups.
Budget: Expenses 2023
In 2023, 75% of the budget is allocated on Status & Trends and Special Studies. Quality assurance and data systems, reporting, and communications are each approximately 5% of the budget. Governance meetings (9%) are critical to ensure that the RMP is addressing stakeholder needs and conducting studies that include peer-review from project planning through report preparation. Finally, 8% of the budget is needed for program management, including fiduciary oversight of contracts and expenditures.
The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay is an innovative collaboration of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, the regulated discharger community, and the San Francisco Estuary Institute. It provides water quality regulators with information they need to manage the Bay effectively. The Program issues a report each year, the Pulse of the Bay in even years and the RMP Update in odd years.
The purpose of The Pulse is to make the most important information available on water quality in the Bay accessible to water quality managers, decision-makers, scientists, and the public. The theme of the 2022 Pulse is "50 Years After the Clean Water Act." Nine different individuals or groups have contributed perspectives on progress to date and challenges ahead. This Pulse also includes summaries, with a historical perspective, on the major water quality parameters of concern in the Bay. You can access the Pulse by clicking here.
You can request a hard copy of the Pulse by clicking here, or if you have comments or questions, please contact Jay Davis: [email protected]
The RMP Update provides a concise overview of recent RMP activities and findings, and a look ahead to significant products anticipated in the next two years.
Previous Pulses:
2023 RMP Annual Meeting
The 30th RMP Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday October 12 at the David Brower Center in Berkeley, CA. The meeting will feature reflections from RMP Steering Committee Chair Tom Mumley on his three decades of involvement in the Program, as well as updates on the science and management of emerging contaminants, nutrients, and sediment. It will be a hybrid meeting with options for attending in-person or remotely via Zoom.
The David Brower Center is one block east of the Downtown Berkeley BART station, and accessible by multiple AC Transit bus lines. Parking is available on an hourly basis at multiple nearby locations. The closest garage is the City of Berkeley’s Oxford Garage, located directly beneath the Brower Center (entrance at 2161 Kittredge Street).
Click here to register for the virtual event!
The meeting agenda and further meeting details will be posted in late August.
Previous Meetings:
The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay is an innovative collaboration of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, the regulated discharger community, and the San Francisco Estuary Institute. It provides water quality regulators with the information they need to manage the Bay effectively. The RMP produces two types of summary reports: The Pulse of the Bay and the RMP Update. The Pulse focuses on Bay water quality and summarizes information from all sources. The RMP Update has a narrower and specific focus on highlights of RMP activities.
The purpose of the RMP Update is to provide a concise overview of recent RMP activities and findings, and a look ahead to significant products anticipated in the next two years.
The report includes:
- a brief summary of some of the most noteworthy findings of this multifaceted Program;
- a description of the management context that guides the Program; and
- a summary of progress in, and plans for, addressing priority water quality topics.
Click Here for a PDF of the 2021 RMP Update.
To request hard copies of the Update, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/cNxBSN88GrPp1mQF9
If you have comments or questions please contact Jay Davis ([email protected])
Previous RMP Updates:
Find an interactive, eBook version of the 2014 RMP Update here
Estuary News, a publication of the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, had been reporting San Francisco Bay, Delta and watershed news for over 25 years, and won an award for excellence in 2011. This 12-page mini-magazine came out four times a year on paper and in PDF. It covered everything from restoration and conservation to the water wars, and offers insider information on the latest debates, regulations and science on contaminants, endangered species and invasives.
Though the Clean Water Act did an amazing job of reducing wastewater and stormwater pollution of the San Francisco Estuary, some contaminants remain thorny problems. Legacy pollutants, emerging contaminants, microplastics, and nutrients have become a particular challenges for the Estuary. Recurring topics in our Estuary News stories include plastics, mercury, emerging contaminants (PBDE, PFOS, BPA, etc), fish consumption, and the findings of the Bay’s Regional Monitoring Program (RMP). Coverage also explored what to do about polluted runoff (see Greening Stormwater). The Bay RMP thanks Estuary News for all the work and coverage it has been able to share on these issues.
The Bay RMP contributed to the production of Estuary News, and many articles feature the latest Bay RMP findings:
- Oct 2022 - Sharing Science Across Barriers
- Oct 2022 - Drought Strains Stormwater Monitoring Endeavors
- Jun 2022 - Bagman for Bay Mussels
- Feb 2022 - West Coast Salmonids All Tired Out?
- Feb 2022 - Hatchery Delta Smelt Released to Wild
- Oct 2021 - Tracking Natural Nitrogen Removal
- Jun 2021 - Bay Fish Still Not Good Eating
- Mar 2021 - Sediment Paparazzi
- Dec 2020 - Virtual RMP Annual Meeting Real-Life Success
- Sep 2020 - A Fragile Fleet
- Sep 2020 - Match Points in Stormwater Soup
- Mar 2020 - Microtrash Tiresome for Watersheds
- Mar 2020 - Regulatory Teams Coordinate
- Sep 2019 - Bay Not BPA-Free
- Jun 2019 - Next Day Delivery: PCBs, Plastics, and Mercury All in One Package
- Jun 2019 - Brinkmanship for Frail Smelt
- May 2019 - Melissa Foley’s list of concerns as the new head of San Francisco Bay’s premier water-quality program is long: microplastics, pharmaceuticals, PFASs, and other chemicals and contaminants entering the Bay through runoff and treated sewage.
- Dec 2018 - Medicating the Bay
- Sep 2018 - Dioxins Are Sticking Around Nearshore and in Fish, RMP Reports
- Jun 2018 - Supply Side Synthesis
- Mar 2018 - Scrutinizing the Margins
- Dec 2017 - Non-Sticks Stick Around
- Oct 2017 - Sturgeon Surgeons
- Sep 2017 - Beacon not Burden
- Aug 2017 - The Second Signal: Guadalupe River Flood Monitoring
- Aug 2017 - Sport Fish Still Not Squeaky Clean
- Dec 2016 - The Dirt on Flea Control
- Dec 2016 - Options for Orphan Species
- Sep 2016 - Nutrient Nuances Modeled
- Jun 2016 - An Eggfull of Estuary
- Mar 2016 - Waiting for the Big One
- Dec 2015 - Unhealthy Fiber in Bay Diet
- Sep 2015 - Tracking Tiny Toxins
- Jun 2015 - Beyond the Blubber
- Jun 2015 - No Scapefish in Drought Wars
- Mar 2015 - Copper Effects on Salmon Influenced by Salinity
- Dec 2014 - Beyond the Bag Ban
- Sep 2014 - Small Fish Test Helps Target PCB Clean Up
- Jun 2014 - Freeing Fish While Locking Up Mercury
- Mar 2014 - Bay Primed for Pea Soup?
The RMP regularly issues updates to those interested in its important publications, activities, findings, meetings, and more.
To add yourself to the list, please subscribe.
Otherwise, help yourself to the list of updates issued over the years.
Year of Publication: 2023
Year of Publication: 2022
Year of Publication: 2021
Year of Publication: 2020
Year of Publication: 2019
Year of Publication: 2018
Year of Publication: 2017
Year of Publication: 2016
Year of Publication: 2015
Year of Publication: 2014
Year of Publication: 2013
Year of Publication: 2012
Year of Publication: 2011
Year of Publication: 2010
Year of Publication: 2009
Year of Publication: 2008
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Year of Publication: 1995
Year of Publication: 1994
Year of Publication: 1993
Year of Publication: 1992
Year of Publication: 1991
Year of Publication: 1990
Year of Publication: 1989
Year of Publication: 1988
Year of Publication: 1987
Sediment is a building block of Bay geography and is the physical foundation for tidal marshes, which must vertically accrete to keep pace with sea-level rise and continue functioning as natural filters for nutrients and pollutants from urban, agricultural, and industrial runoff sources. Sediment on the Bay floor can store contaminants within interstitial waters and suspended sediment can transport contaminants throughout the Bay. In addition, suspended sediment is a key factor limiting algal blooms and eutrophication. There is a growing focus on sediment processes in the Bay, driven by the need for better information on water and sediment quality, as well as the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise to the Bay’s tidal wetlands.
In 2018, the RMP formed the Sediment Workgroup to provide technical oversight and stakeholder guidance on RMP studies addressing management and policy needs related to sediment delivery, sediment transport, dredging, and beneficial reuse of sediment within the Bay. The Sediment Workgroup includes representatives from federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (SFBRWQCB), and San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), as well as representatives from ports, the dredging community, local water agencies, universities, and private consulting firms.
The scientific advisory panel for the Bay RMP Sediment Workgroup consists of two internationally renowned estuarine sediment experts:
- Dr. David Schoellhamer, USGS (retired)
- Dr. Patricia Wiberg, University of Virginia
Lead Scientist: Scott Dusterhoff
For more information, please contact Scott Dusterhoff at [email protected].
Year of Publication: 2023
Year of Publication: 2022
Year of Publication: 2021
Year of Publication: 2020
Year of Publication: 2019
The Bay RMP fills critical science needs to assist managers in their goal of reducing harmful emerging contaminants in San Francisco Bay. Emerging contaminants are unregulated or under-regulated and not commonly monitored, yet may pose significant ecological and/or human health risks.
A global leader in this field, the Bay RMP has developed an emerging contaminants strategy that guides decisions on monitoring and management. Early identification of problem pollutants and quick action to prevent their spread is an optimal and cost-effective approach for protecting water quality. This is especially true in an ecosystem like the Bay, which can act as a long-term trap for persistent contaminants, with recovery taking decades or centuries when contamination is extensive.
Diligent surveillance using state-of-the-art analytical techniques has identified emerging contaminants of moderate concern for the Bay:
- PFAS, stain and water repelling chemicals widely used in industrial and consumer products
- Fipronil and imidacloprid, insecticides with significant urban uses
- Alkylphenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates, ingredients in detergents and many other products
- Bisphenols, plastic ingredients
- Organophosphate esters, flame retardants and plasticizers
A scientific advisory panel of internationally renowned experts advises the Bay RMP Emerging Contaminants Workgroup (ECWG):
- Dr. Bill Arnold, University of Minnesota
- Dr. Miriam Diamond, University of Toronto
- Dr. Lee Ferguson, Duke University
- Dr. Derek Muir, Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Dr. Heather Stapleton, Duke University
- Dr. Dan Villenueve, US EPA
Lead Scientist: Rebecca Sutton, Ph.D.
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Consumption Survey Questionnaire | Workshop Announcement: Developing a Subsistence Fishing Questionnaire for San Francisco Bay |
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California Pesticides: A Data Visualization Tool to Link Pesticide Use and Management to Water Quality | Despite California's data-rich environment, there are still many obstacles when trying to access and understand pesticide data at the nexus of water quality, ecological... |
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Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) | A recent analysis of PFAS in the surface waters of SF Bay was conducted to understand the occurrence, fate, and potential risks to ecological and human health. Eleven of 40... |
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Virtual Forum: PFAS in San Francisco Bay Fish | Virtual Forum on PFAS in San Francisco Bay Fish, February 4th, 2022 |
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Contaminants of Emerging Concern Strategy | More than 100,000 chemicals have been registered or approved for commercial use in the US. |
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Historical Ecology and Landscape Change in the Central Laguna de Santa Rosa | This study synthesizes a diverse array of data to examine the ecological patterns, ecosystem functions, and hydrology that characterized a central portion of the Laguna de... |
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PBDEs in San Francisco Bay: A Summary Report | Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a group of flame retardant additives used in thermoplastics, polyurethane foam, and textiles. |
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A Broad Scan of Bay Contaminants: Non-targeted Analysis of Bay Wildlife | A cutting edge analysis identifies low levels of five unmonitored compounds in wildlife of San Francisco Bay. Bay mussel and harbor seal samples were tested for previously... |
