Habitat & Biological Resources

Summary of findings of the BPTCP for the Switzer Creek, B Street /Broadway Piers, and Downtown Anchorage study sites.

Sediments in the San Diego Bay in the vicinity of Switzer Creek, B Street/Broadway Piers, and the Downtown Anchorage area were found to be contaminated with anthropogenic chemicals, which include PAHs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlorinated pesticides (chlordane and lindane), and metals (copper, mercury, and zinc). In addition these sites have degraded benthic macroinvertebrate communities, and sediments from these sites were toxic to marine invertebrates in laboratory tests (Sediment Quality Assessment Study, 2004). As a consequence, these sites have been listed as impaired on the State of California 's 303(d) list. Consequently, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) initiated efforts to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) calculations and cleanup plans for these sites.

Study Site	Degredation	Possible Contaminant Sources
Switzer Creek*	Elevated Chemistry Copper Low MW PAHs High MW PAHs Chlordane Total (ERMQ) Toxicity (sediment, porewater) Benthics	Shipyard Facilities Shipping Activities Storm water PAH disposal Refuse Disposal Air Deposition
B Street/Broadway Piers	Elevated Chemistry Copper Low MW PAHs High MW PAHs Chlordane Total (ERMQ) Toxicity (porewater) Benthics	Shipping Activities Storm water Redistribution of adjacent sediments Air Deposition
Downtown Anchorage *	Elevated Chemistry Metals Chlordane Total (ERMQ) Toxicity (sediment, porewater) Benthic community	Storm water Airport Runoff Redistribution of adjacent sediments Antifouling paints Air deposition

* These sites were classified by BPTCP as high priority sites for future study.

ERMQ = Effects Range Median Quotient, an indicator of pollution due to multiple contaminants. References: Fairey et al . 1996, 1998; Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory 2003; Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory 2004.

For more information see the Weston Solution's Final Report: Proposition 13 Coastal NonPoint Agreement No. 04-026-559-0: The San Diego Watersheds Common Grounds Project: San Diego Bay Watershed Demonstration

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