How much water do we have?
The Delta supplies water to > 20 million people and 1,000s of acres of agriculture and is facing record drought and more frequent climate extremes.
How do we keep our water clean?
Contaminants, fish decline, and other water quality issues are threatening the Delta. We can help track water quality to keep CA's water clean.
How do we protect our water system?
Earthquakes, subsidence, extreme storms, and other hazards threaten the Delta's infrastructure.
How much water do we have?
The USGS can quantify our water resources to help California balance water needs.
How do we protect our water system?
The USGS can has natural hazards expertise to inform Californians about risks to help address these issues.
USGS provides essential science to help ensure the health and function of the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta system. The “Bay-Delta” supplies water to 25 million California residents, farms, and habitats for fish and wildlife. Currently, USGS scientists are working on more than 90 research studies in the Bay-Delta.
Water Quantity and Quality
USGS has a vast network of monitoring stations in the Bay-Delta that collects real-time water-quantity and water-quality data, including water level, temperature, direction and speed, salinity, and clarity. These data are used daily by State and Federal water managers to balance the needs of California’s communities, agriculture, and wildlife.
Aquatic Stressors
Habitat Quality
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.
Trace Metals
Pesticides
Nutrients
Animals and Habitat
USGS provides essential science on ecosystem function to inform species survival and recovery and habitat restoration in the Bay-Delta. Studies include monitoring the health and status of crucial species and understanding the impacts of habitat loss, contaminants, invasive species, sea-level rise, and changes in temperature and salinity.
Avian Studies
Fish Studies
Bottom-Dwelling (Benthic) Invertebrates
Protected Terrestrial Species
Habitat Restoration
Marsh Sustainability
Natural Hazards
USGS provides essential science on ecosystem function to inform species survival and recovery and habitat restoration in the Bay-Delta. Studies include monitoring the health and status of crucial species and understanding the impacts of habitat loss, contaminants, invasive species, sea-level rise, and changes in temperature and salinity.
Earthquake Monitoring
Fault Characterization
Land Subsidence
USGS scientists are studying the causes and impacts of land subsidence to help protect Bay-Delta communities from flooding and ensure the integrity of water-conveyance systems in California’s Central Valley. Subsidence weakens levees and threatens crucial aqueducts that supply water to more than 25 million California residents and vast farmlands.
Delta Island Subsidence
San Joaquin Valley Subsidence
Climate Impacts
USGS science is providing information crucial to understanding how climate-induced impacts to the Bay-Delta region may affect fish and wildlife habitat locally, as well as agriculture and water availability in much of California. Reduced statewide precipitation, sea-level rise, and prolonged drought are major climate-change threats to the State.
Predictive Tools
Sea-Level Rise
Drought
Atmospheric River Storms
USGS provides essential science to help ensure the health and function of the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta system. The “Bay-Delta” supplies water to 25 million California residents, farms, and habitats for fish and wildlife. Currently, USGS scientists are working on more than 90 research studies in the Bay-Delta.
Water Quantity and Quality
USGS has a vast network of monitoring stations in the Bay-Delta that collects real-time water-quantity and water-quality data, including water level, temperature, direction and speed, salinity, and clarity. These data are used daily by State and Federal water managers to balance the needs of California’s communities, agriculture, and wildlife.
Aquatic Stressors
Habitat Quality
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.
Trace Metals
Pesticides
Nutrients
Animals and Habitat
USGS provides essential science on ecosystem function to inform species survival and recovery and habitat restoration in the Bay-Delta. Studies include monitoring the health and status of crucial species and understanding the impacts of habitat loss, contaminants, invasive species, sea-level rise, and changes in temperature and salinity.
Avian Studies
Fish Studies
Bottom-Dwelling (Benthic) Invertebrates
Protected Terrestrial Species
Habitat Restoration
Marsh Sustainability
Natural Hazards
USGS provides essential science on ecosystem function to inform species survival and recovery and habitat restoration in the Bay-Delta. Studies include monitoring the health and status of crucial species and understanding the impacts of habitat loss, contaminants, invasive species, sea-level rise, and changes in temperature and salinity.
Earthquake Monitoring
Fault Characterization
Land Subsidence
USGS scientists are studying the causes and impacts of land subsidence to help protect Bay-Delta communities from flooding and ensure the integrity of water-conveyance systems in California’s Central Valley. Subsidence weakens levees and threatens crucial aqueducts that supply water to more than 25 million California residents and vast farmlands.
Delta Island Subsidence
San Joaquin Valley Subsidence
Climate Impacts
USGS science is providing information crucial to understanding how climate-induced impacts to the Bay-Delta region may affect fish and wildlife habitat locally, as well as agriculture and water availability in much of California. Reduced statewide precipitation, sea-level rise, and prolonged drought are major climate-change threats to the State.
Predictive Tools
Sea-Level Rise
Drought
Atmospheric River Storms