Environmental Contamination
Environmental Contamination
USGS studies contaminants in the Bay-Delta to understand and predict the impacts that they may have on human and wildlife health. The Bay-Delta has many contaminants of concern, including naturally occurring trace metals—such as mercury and selenium—as well as pesticides, excess nutrients, and harmful toxins released by algal blooms.
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Trace Metals
The Bay-Delta has a long list of contaminants of concern, including naturally occurring trace metals such as mercury and selenium.
Pesticides
For more than a decade, USGS scientists have conducted studies to determine the occurrence and long-term fate of a number of the pesticides used in the Bay-Delta and throughout the State.
Excess Nutrients
USGS scientists have gained a better understanding of the nutrient supply and how nutrients affect habitat quality, algal productivity, and food-web dynamics in the Bay-Delta.