Summary of Suspended-Sediment Concentration Data, San Francisco Bay, California, Water Year 1999

By Paul A. Buchanan and Catherine A. Ruhl

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Open-File Report 01-100

Sacramento, California 2001

Entire Report (2.1 MB PDF) Cover (420K PDF) Download Acrobat reader

Abstract

Suspended-sediment concentration data were collected in San Francisco Bay during water year 1999 (October 1, 1998-September 30, 1999). Optical backscatterance sensors and water samples were used to monitor suspended sediment at one site in Suisun Bay, three sites in San Pablo Bay, two sites in Central San Francisco Bay, and three sites in South San Francisco Bay. Sensors were positioned at two depths at most sites. Water samples were collected periodically and were analyzed for concentrations of suspended sediment. The results of the analyses were used to calibrate the electrical output of the optical backscatterance sensors. This report presents the data-collection methods used and summarizes the suspended-sediment concentration data collected from October 1998 through September 1999. Calibration plots and plots of edited data for each sensor also are presented.

CONTENTS

Abstract

Introduction

Purpose and Scope

Study Area

Acknowledgments

Methods

Instrument Description and Operation

Suisun Bay Installations

Mallard Island

San Pablo Bay Installations

Carquinez Bridge

Mare Island Causeway

Channel Marker 9

Central San Francisco Bay Installations

Point San Pablo

Pier 24

South San Francisco Bay Installations

Channel Marker 17

Dumbarton Bridge

San Mateo Bridge

Water-Sample Collection

Data Processing

Sensor Calibration and Suspended-Sediment Concentration Data

Suisun Bay

Mallard Island

San Pablo Bay

Carquinez Bridge

Mare Island Causeway

Channel Marker 9

Central San Francisco Bay

Point San Pablo

Pier 24

South San Francisco Bay

Channel Marker 17

Dumbarton Bridge

San Mateo Bridge

Summary

References Cited

FIGURES

1. Map showing San Francisco Bay study area
2. Schematic of monitoring installation 3-20.

3-39 Graphs showing:

3. Example of raw and edited optical backscatterance data, mid-depth sensor, Point San Pablo, Central San Francisco Bay, water year 1994
4. Calibration of near-surface optical backscatterance sensors, October 1-May 24 and June 29-September 30, Mallard Island, Suisun Bay, water year 1999
5. Calibration of near-bottom optical backscatterance sensor at Mallard Island,Suisun Bay, water year 1999
6. Time series of near-surface and near-bottom suspended-sediment concentrations calculated from sensor readings at Mallard Island, Suisun Bay, water year 1999
7. Calibration of mid-depth and near-bottom optical backscatterance sensors at Carquinez Bridge, San Pablo Bay, water year 1999
8. Time series of mid-depth and near-bottom suspended-sediment concentrations calculated from sensor readings at Carquinez Bridge, San Pablo Bay, water year 1999
9. Calibration of mid-depth and near-bottom optical backscatterance sensors at Mare Island Causeway, San Pablo Bay, water year 1999
10. Time series of mid-depth and near-bottom suspended-sediment concentrations calculated from sensor readings at Mare Island Causeway, San Pablo Bay, water year 1999
11. Calibration of near-bottom optical backscatterance sensor and near-bottom suspended-sediment concentration calculated from sensor readings at Channel Marker 9, San Pablo Bay, water year 1999
12. Calibration of mid-depth and near-bottom optical backscatterance sensors at Point San Pablo, Central San Francisco Bay, water year 1999
13. Time series of mid-depth and near-bottom suspended-sediment concentrations calculated from sensor readings at Point San Pablo, Central San Francisco Bay, water year 1999
14. Calibration of mid-depth and near-bottom optical backscatterance sensors at Pier 24, Central San Francisco Bay, water year 1999
15. Time series of mid-depth and near-bottom suspended-sediment concentrations calculated from sensor readings at Pier 24, Central San Francisco Bay, water year 1999
16. Calibration of mid-depth and near-bottom optical backscatterance sensors at Channel Marker 17, South San Francisco Bay, water year 1999
17. Time series of mid-depth and near-bottom suspended-sediment concentrations calculated from sensor readings at Channel Marker 17, South San Francisco Bay, water year 1999
18. Calibration of mid-depth and near-bottom optical backscatterance sensors at Dumbarton Bridge, South San Francisco Bay, water year 1999
19. Time series of mid-depth and near-bottom suspended-sediment concentrations calculated from sensor readings at Dumbarton Bridge, South San Francisco Bay, water year 1999
20. Calibration of mid-depth optical backscatterance sensor and mid-depth suspended-sediment concentration calculated from sensor readings readings at San Mateo Bridge, South Francisco Bay, water year 1999

TABLES

1. Statistical summary of suspended-sediment concentration data, Suisun Bay, San Pablo Bay, and Central and South San Francisco Bays, water year 1999
2. Usable percentage of a complete year of data (96 data points per day) collected by optical backscatterance sensors, Suisun Bay, San Pablo Bay, and Central and South San Francisco Bays, California, water year 1999

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U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Persistent URL: http://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/2001/ofr01-100/ Page Contact Information: USGS Publishing Network Last modified: Friday, January 11 2013, 02:06:23 AM

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