Ceriodaphnia Toxicity Testing Quality Assurance

Development of Quality Assurance Recommendations for the ​Ceriodaphnia dubia Toxicity Test

Background and Objectives

On December 1, 2020, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted statewide numeric water quality objectives for both acute and chronic toxicity and a program of implementation to control toxicity, which are collectively known as the Toxicity Provisions. The Provisions are intended to improve protections of aquatic life beneficial uses in inland surface waters, enclosed bays, and estuaries in California, and protect aquatic habitats and life from the effects of known and unknown toxicants. The Provisions specify effluent limitations for the most sensitive toxicity testing species, including the Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Ceriodaphnia dubia (C. Dubia) chronic reproduction toxicity test. 

To ensure that State-accredited testing laboratories are producing the highest-quality data possible for the C. Dubia toxicity test, the State Water Board is collaborating with stakeholders and laboratories on a statewide project to develop a set of quality assurance recommendations intended to minimize within-test variability and improve interlaboratory agreement. The three-year study kicked off in October 2020.

Project Oversight

The Project is being overseen by both a Stakeholder Advisory Committee comprised of regulatory agencies, regulated parties, and non-governmental organizations, as well as an Expert Science Panel comprised of international experts in freshwater toxicity testing.

Stakeholder Advisory Committee members

  • State Water Board – Katie Fong
  • USEPA – Amelia Whitson (EPA Region 9)
  • Regional Water Quality Control Boards – Veronica Cuevas (RWQCB4)
  • Wastewater Agencies /CASA – Mitch Mysliwiec (Larry Walker & Associates)
  • Stormwater Agencies/CASQA – Jian Peng (Orange County Public Works)
  • Agriculture Organizations – Sarah Lopez (Central Coast Water Quality Preservation Inc.)
  • Non-Governmental Agencies – Annelisa Moe (Heal the Bay)
  • Laboratory Accreditation – Steven Boggs (CA ELAP)
  • Private Laboratories – Peter Arth (Enthalpy)
  • Public Laboratories – Josh Westfall (Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts) 

Expert Science Panel members

  • A. John Bailer (Miami University)
  • Howard Bailey (Nautilus Environmental) 
  • Robert Brent (James Madison University) 
  • Teresa Norberg-King (USEPA, retired) 
  • Leana Van der Vliet (Environment Canada) 

Key Events

DateEventSupporting Documents
December 8, 2020First Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Webcast recording
  • Meeting minutes
    		•
    January 20, 2021Second Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Meeting minutes
    		•
    February 19, 2021First Science Panel meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials

    • Introduction
    • Background and Rationale
    • Project Scope and Workplan

  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    March 24, 2021Third Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Stakeholders comments on draft workplan
  • Minutes
    		•
    April 12, 2021Second Science Panel meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials

    • Introduction
    • Stakeholder perspective (Lopez)
    • Stakeholder perspective (Cuevas)

  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    April 27, 2021Third Science Panel meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    May 26, 2021Release of draft conceptual workplan
  • Draft conceptual workplan (May 2021)
    		•
    September 29, 2021Fourth Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    October 20, 2021Fourth Science Panel meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    December 14, 2021Science Panel closed session
  • Report out
    		•
    January 26, 2022Science Panel closed session
  • Report out
    		•
    February 23, 2022Fifth Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    April 6, 2022Sixth Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    April 12, 2022Fifth Science Panel meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    May 24, 2022Seventh Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials

    • Introduction
    • Draft baseline testing plan

  • Webcast recording
  • Meeting minutes
    		•
    June 24, 2022Sixth Science Panel meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials

    • Proposed testing design
    • Draft baseline testing plan v2

  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    August 8, 2022Seventh Science Panel meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials

    • Draft QAPP for baseline study
    • Approved QAPP for baseline study_0811122

  • Webcast recording
    		•
    November 9, 2022Science Panel closed session
  • Meeting summary
    		•
    December 7, 2022Science Panel closed session
  • Meeting summary
    		•
    December 21, 2022Eighth Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    January 17, 2023Ninth Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    February 27, 2023Tenth Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    March 28, 2023Eleventh Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    April 11, 2023Science Panel Closed Session
  • Report out
    		•
    April 13, 2023Twelfth Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials

    • Second ILS planning
    • Approved QAPP for second ILS

  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    May 2, 2023Science Panel closed session
  • Report out
    		•
    June 29, 2023Thirteenth Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
  • Minutes
    		•
    July 5, 2023Eighth Science Panel meeting
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
    		•
    July 21, 2023Science Panel Closed Session
  • Report out
    		•
    July 31, 2023Fourteenth Stakeholder meeting
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials
  • Webcast recording
    		•
    September 6, 2023Fifteenth Stakeholder meeting, held with Expert Science Panel
  • Meeting agenda
  • Meeting materials

    • Draft QA guidance recommendations
    • Draft appendices
    • POTW Stakeholder Feedback
    • Private Lab Stakeholder Feedback
    • Municipal Lab Stakeholder Feedback
    • Ag Stakeholder Feedback

  • Webcast recording
    		•

    Deliverables

    Contact

    For more information about this project, contact Ken Schiff or Alvina Mehinto.