Bacterial Water Quality Standards
There have been no sustained exceedances of bacterial water quality objectives in the waters surrounding municipal wastewater discharges, indicating effective management in these areas. The 2019 CCLEAN Annual Report includes a comprehensive review of bacteria data collected by the Program and comparisons to water quality standards.
Pesticide Contamination in Mussels
Concentrations of the pesticide Dieldrin in mussels along the northern shore of Monterey Bay have exceeded human health alert levels, posing a potential risk to both wildlife and humans. Pesticide concentrations in mussels have generally declined over time, although large increases occur following extreme rainfall events, providing a direct link between storm runoff, river discharges […]
Exceedances of Water Quality Objectives
Ocean water in Monterey Bay has exceeded water quality objectives for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDTs, Chlordanes, Dieldrin, and Toxaphene. Notably, PCBs have exceeded objectives in at least one sample every year since 2001, highlighting a persistent issue in the bay’s water quality. The 2022 CCLEAN annual report documents the current status of exceedances in the […]
Rivers as Major Pollutant Sources
Rivers have been found to discharge much higher loads of most pollutants to the ocean compared to wastewater discharges, indicating the need for targeted management efforts in these areas. The 2022 CCLEAN annual report highlights pollutant trends and loads in Pajaro River that indicate DDTs have not declined over time, but exhibit an exponential relationship with annual rainfall, with regular exceedances of water […]
