Jay Davis's picture

Jay A. Davis, PhD

Program Director
Clean Water Program
Bay Regional Monitoring Program
PCBs
Fish Contamination
510-746-7368

 Follow Jay on Twitter@JayDavis_ASC

Dr. Davis grew up near the PCB-contaminated aquatic food web of Lake Michigan. He has worked on contaminant issues in San Francisco Bay since 1986. He received his Ph.D. in Ecology at the University of California, Davis in 1997. Dr. Davis is Lead Scientist of the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay, a comprehensive water quality monitoring program. He is also lead scientist for the Bioaccumulation element of the California State Water Resource Control Board's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, which conducts statewide surveys of contaminants in aquatic food webs. Dr. Davis is also the co-Director of SFEI's Clean Water Program. His primary research interests are monitoring the accumulation of persistent contaminants in aquatic food webs of the Bay, its watershed, and aquatic ecosystems in California; and the work of John Lillison, England's greatest one-armed poet.

Related Projects, News, and Events

CD3: New Download Feature (News)

This release of CD3 features an advanced download tool for accessing all data for a project and the ability to dynamically generate Sum of PCBs.  Detailed instructions for using the tool's different features are provided in a pop-up box for easy reference. Visit cd3.sfei.org to try out this new functionality!

RMP eUpdate Newsletter (Project)

Sign up for the RMP eUpdate Newsletter and keep up to date on the latest from the San Francisco Bay Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) for Water Quality.

State of San Francisco Bay 2011 Report (News)

Released at the State of the Estuary 2011 Conference, The State of San Francisco Bay 2011 presents a science-based assessment of the health of San Francisco Bay. The authors reviewed available data and developed methods for evaluating the status and trends of the Bay’s vital signs. By providing all interested parties with these results, the broader community can consider whether resource managers, regulators, and citizens are taking enough of the right actions to protect the Bay.

Forum on Science to Support Management of Methylmercury in Restored Tidal Marshes (Event)

The RMP sponsored a forum to review information and information needs relating to managing methylmercury in restored tidal marshes in San Francisco Bay. There is currently a lack of consensus on the best approach for monitoring methylmercury and using monitoring data in decision-making. This workshop addressed the state of knowledge regarding the role wetland restoration and management play in methylmercury impairment locally and regionally, and helped inform decision-making by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board and other agencies.

2012 Regional Monitoring Program Update (News)

The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in the San Francisco Estuary (RMP) 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 Estuary effectively.

RMP Scientists Contribute to Bay Article as Part of a Synthesis on Mercury in Marine Ecosystems (News)

In a partnership with the Coastal and Marine Mercury Ecosystem Research Collaborative (C-MERC), RMP scientists have contributed to a manuscript focusing on the most promising avenues for reducing methylmercury contamination in the Bay Area's aquatic food webs.

SWAMP Report on Contaminants in Fish from California Rivers and Streams (News)

The State Water Resources Control Board's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) has published findings from a statewide survey of contaminants in sport fish in California rivers and streams. This study was the final of three statewide surveys that investigated sport fish contamination in California. The previous two reports detailed contaminant concentrations in California's lakes and reservoirs, and the coast.

SFEI-ASC Seeking an Executive Director (News)

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the San Francisco Estuary Institute/Aquatic Science Center, a respected scientific organization whose opinion is sought out by decision-makers across the state. Under the general direction of, and working in partnership with, a Board of Directors, the Executive Director provides leadership, vision, and overall direction of SFEI staff, business and operations.

Bay Pollution Source is Close to Home (News)

Article about topics from the 2010 Pulse featuring an interview of Jay Davis

"That's been a major shift in our understanding in the last 10 years," said Jay Davis, a senior scientist at the San Francisco Estuary Institute and the editor of the annual report called "The Pulse of the Estuary 2010." "Ten years ago, we didn't have good hard data."

Mercury in Crystal Springs fish puzzles scientists (News)

Jay Davis is interviewed about the methyl mercury found in fish caught in Lower Crystal Springs Reservoir.

"The concentrations in the food chain are over a million times higher than the concentrations in water," Davis said. "It is important to note that even though mercury is showing up at concentrations of concern in the fish, it's not an issue for the drinking water."

Traces of mercury surprise water officials (News)

This article talks about the surprisingly high toxin level were found in Crystal Springs lake.

SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Lakes and Survey Report (News)

"There is definitely a concern,” said Jay Davis, a senior scientist with the San Francisco Estuary Institute, which did the study for the California Water Resource Control Board. “We don’t want to send the message that people shouldn’t eat fish or be fishing. It’s more that they should try to be informed and try to focus on the fish that have a lower level of the contaminants." Read full article