Liesl Tiefenthaler
Senior Research Technician
Biology
714-755-3231
lieslt@sccwrp.org
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Liesl Tiefenthaler is an aquatic biologist specializing in developing a variety of assessment tools and programs for estuarine and riverine ecosystems. Her current research focuses on assisting in developing condition assessment tools for estuaries and other marine habitats, as well as causal assessment methodologies in order to identify and predict potential stressors to these ecosystems. In addition, she is working with SCCWRP ecohydrologists to understand how future changes in climate, land use, and management practices may impact the hydrology and physical habitat of rivers.  Her past research areas focused on the fate and effect of contaminants in storm water runoff and wetlands, and the ecological impacts of hydrologic alteration, particularly in intermittent streams and sea level rise and global climate change impacts in coastal regions. She also conducts biological assessments of the condition of waterbodies using surveys and other direct measurements of resident biological organisms, macroinvertebrates, fish, and plants to answer the question of whether waterbodies meet their designated aquatic life uses. Other research focuses include developing biotic targets designed to protect stream health and geospatial data visualization and analysis.

She received B.S. in marine biology from California State University, Long Beach in 1991. She joined SCCWRP in July 1994.

Education

B.S., marine biology, California State University, Long Beach, 1991.

Professional Experience

Senior Research Technician, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA. 2009-present

Scientist, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA. 2006-2009

Senior Research Technician, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA. 1999-2006

Research Technician, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA. 1994-1999

Bioassay Technician, Marine Biological Consultants Applied Environmental Sciences. Costa Mesa, CA. 1992-1993

Marine Biology Camp Director, City of Long Beach Department of Parks and Recreation. Long Beach, CA. 1988-1991

Honors and Awards

Phi Eta Sigma, Alpha Lambda Delta (National Scholastic Honor Society)
Dean's List, California State University, Long Beach

Professional Societies and Certifications

CRAM Leadership Panel (2022-present)
Society for Freshwater Science (2021-present)
ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Pro Spatial Analysis and Data Science Certificates (2019-present)
Episodic River CRAM (2018)
California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) (2004-2018)
CRAM for Wetlands (2016)
National Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (Southern California/Southwest Chapter)
Southern California Academy of Sciences
Scuba Diver, Research Scuba Diver
American Red Cross (CPR, Advanced First Aid, Advanced Lifesaving)
Certified Forklift Operator
Range Safety (RSO) Certified at Marine Corp Base Camp Pendleton (2012-2019)

Publications


Journal Articles

Harvey, M.E., S.N. Giddings, E.D. Stein, J.A. Crooks, C. Whitcraft, T. Gallien, J.L. Largier, L.L. Tiefenthaler, H. Meltzer, G. Pawlak, K. Thorne, K. Johnston, R. Ambrose, S.C. Schroeter, H.M. Page, H. Elwany. 2020. Effects of Elevated Sea Levels and Waves on Southern California Estuaries During the 2015–2016 El Niño. Estuaries and Coasts DOI:10.1007/s12237-019-00676-1.

Schiff, K.C., L.L. Tiefenthaler, S.M. Bay, D.J. Greenstein. 2016. Effects of Rainfall Intensity and Duration on the First Flush from Parking Lots. Water 8:320.

Lao, W., L.L. Tiefenthaler, D.J. Greenstein, K.A. Maruya, S.M. Bay, K. Ritter, K.C. Schiff. 2012. Pyrethroids in southern California coastal sediments. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 31:1649-1656.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., E.D. Stein, K.C. Schiff. 2011. Levels and patterns of fecal indicator bacteria in stormwater runoff from homogenous land use sites and urban watersheds. Journal of Water and Health 9:279-290.

Schiff, K.C., L.L. Tiefenthaler. 2011. Seasonal flushing of pollutant concentrations and loads in urban stormwater. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 47:136-142.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., E.D. Stein, G.S. Lyon. 2009. Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) levels during dry weather from southern California reference streams. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 155:477-492.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., E.D. Stein, K.C. Schiff. 2008. Watershed and land use-based sources of trace metals in urban stormwater. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 27:277-287.

Stein, E.D., L.L. Tiefenthaler, K.C. Schiff. 2006. Watershed-based sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban storm water. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 25:373-385.

Stein, E.D., L.L. Tiefenthaler. 2005. Dry-weather metals and bacteria loading in an arid, urban watershed: Ballona Creek, California. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 164:367-382.

Greenstein, D.J., L.L. Tiefenthaler, S.M. Bay. 2004. Toxicity of parking lot runoff after application of simulated rainfall. Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 47:199-206.

Lu, R., R.P. Turco, K. Stolzenbach, S.K. Friedlander, C. Xiong, K.C. Schiff, L.L. Tiefenthaler, G. Wang. 2003. Dry deposition of airborne trace metals on the Los Angeles basin and adjacent coastal waters. Journal of Geophysical Research 108:11.1-11.24.

Leecaster, M.K., K.C. Schiff, L.L. Tiefenthaler. 2002. Assessment of efficient sampling designs for urban stormwater monitoring. Water Research 36:1556-1564.

Greenstein, D.J., L.L. Tiefenthaler. 1997. Reproduction and population dynamics of Grandidierella japonica (Stephensen) (Crustacea: Amphipoda) in upper Newport Bay, California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 96:34-42.

Book Chapters

Bay, S.M., K.C. Schiff, D.J. Greenstein, L.L. Tiefenthaler. 1997. Stormwater Runoff of Santa Monica Bay: Toxicity, Sediment Quality, and Benthic Community Impacts. in: O.T. Magoon, H. Converse, B. Baird, M. Miller-Henson (eds.), California and the World Ocean '97 pp. 900-921. American Society of Civil Engineers. Reston, VA.

Technical Reports

Tiefenthaler, L.L., M. Sutula, J.F. Griffith, M.R. Raith. 2016. Microbiological Water Quality at Reference Beaches and an Adjoining Estuary in Southern California during a Prolonged Drought. Technical Report 936. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority. Costa Mesa, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., M. Sutula, Y. Cao, J.F. Griffith, M.R. Raith, C. Beck, R. Christoph, J. Shrake. 2015. Wet and Dry Weather Natural Background Concentrations of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in San Diego, Orange, and Ventura County, California Streams. Technical Report 862. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., M. Sutula, Y. Cao, J.F. Griffith, M.R. Raith, C. Beck, R. Christoph, J. Shrake. 2015. Wet and Dry Weather Natural Background Concentrations of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in San Diego, Orange, and Ventura County, California Streams (Appendix A). Technical Report 862.A. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., M. Sutula, Y. Cao, J.F. Griffith, M.R. Raith, C. Beck, R. Christoph, J. Shrake. 2015. Wet and Dry Weather Natural Background Concentrations of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in San Diego, Orange, and Ventura County, California Streams (Appendix B). Technical Report 862.B. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., M. Sutula, Y. Cao, J.F. Griffith, M.R. Raith, C. Beck, R. Christoph, J. Shrake. 2015. Wet and Dry Weather Natural Background Concentrations of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in San Diego, Orange, and Ventura County, California Streams (Appendix C). Technical Report 862.C. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., M. Sutula, Y. Cao, J.F. Griffith, M.R. Raith, C. Beck, R. Christoph, J. Shrake. 2015. Wet and Dry Weather Natural Background Concentrations of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in San Diego, Orange, and Ventura County, California Streams (Appendix D). Technical Report 862.D. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Schiff, K.C., R. Gossett, K. Ritter, L.L. Tiefenthaler, N. Dodder, W. Lao, K.A. Maruya. 2011. Southern California Bight 2008 Regional Monitoring Program: III. Sediment Chemistry. Technical Report 661. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Schiff, K.C., R. Gossett, K. Ritter, L.L. Tiefenthaler, N. Dodder, W. Lao, K.A. Maruya. 2011. Southern California Bight 2008 Regional Monitoring Program: III. Sediment Chemistry (Appendix A). Technical Report 661.A. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Schiff, K.C., R. Gossett, K. Ritter, L.L. Tiefenthaler, N. Dodder, W. Lao, K.A. Maruya. 2011. Southern California Bight 2008 Regional Monitoring Program: III. Sediment Chemistry (Appendix B). Technical Report 661.B. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Schiff, K.C., R. Gossett, K. Ritter, L.L. Tiefenthaler, N. Dodder, W. Lao, K.A. Maruya. 2011. Southern California Bight 2008 Regional Monitoring Program: III. Sediment Chemistry (Appendix C). Technical Report 661.C. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Schiff, K.C., R. Gossett, K. Ritter, L.L. Tiefenthaler, N. Dodder, W. Lao, K.A. Maruya. 2011. Southern California Bight 2008 Regional Monitoring Program: III. Sediment Chemistry (Appendix D). Technical Report 661.D. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Schiff, K.C., R. Gossett, K. Ritter, L.L. Tiefenthaler, N. Dodder, W. Lao, K.A. Maruya. 2011. Southern California Bight 2008 Regional Monitoring Program: III. Sediment Chemistry (Appendix E). Technical Report 661.E. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., E.D. Stein, G.S. Lyon. 2008. Fecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB) levels during dry weather from southern California reference streams. Technical Report 542. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Stein, E.D., L.L. Tiefenthaler, K.C. Schiff. 2007. Sources, patterns and mechanisms of storm water pollutant loading from watersheds and land uses of the greater Los Angeles area, California, USA. Technical Report 510. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Stein, E.D., L.L. Tiefenthaler. 2004. Characterization of dry weather metals and bacteria in Ballona Creek. Technical Report 427. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Schiff, K.C., L.L. Tiefenthaler. 2003. Contributions of organophosphorus pesticides from residential land uses during dry and wet weather. Technical Report 406. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Stolzenbach, K., R. Lu, C. Xiong, S. Friedlander, R. Turco, K.C. Schiff, L.L. Tiefenthaler. 2001. Measuring and modeling of atmospheric deposition on Santa Monica Bay and the Santa Monica Bay Watershed. Technical Report 346. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., K.C. Schiff, S.M. Bay. 2001. Characteristics of parking lot runoff produced by simulated rain. Technical Report 343. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Bay, S.M., K.C. Schiff, D.J. Greenstein, L.L. Tiefenthaler. 1997. Stormwater runoff effects on Santa Monica Bay: toxicity, sediment quality, and benthic community impacts. Technical Report 300. Conference Proceedings for California and the World Ocean '98.

Annual Report Articles

Sengupta, A., M. Sutula, K. McLaughlin, M.D.A. Howard, L.L. Tiefenthaler, T. Von Bitner. 2013. Terrestrial nutrient loads and fluxes to the Southern California Bight, USA. in: K.C. Schiff, K. Miller (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2013 Annual Report pp. 245-258. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Lao, W., L.L. Tiefenthaler, D.J. Greenstein, K.A. Maruya, S.M. Bay, K. Ritter, K.C. Schiff. 2011. Pyrethroids in southern California coastal sediments. in: K.C. Schiff, K. Miller (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2011 Annual Report pp. 249-260. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., E.D. Stein, G.S. Lyon. 2008. Fecal indicator bacteria levels during dry weather in southern California reference streams. in: S.B. Weisberg, K. Miller (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2008 Annual Report pp. 163-174. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Stein, E.D., L.L. Tiefenthaler, K.C. Schiff. 2008. Comparison of stormwater pollutant loading by land use type. in: S.B. Weisberg, K. Miller (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2008 Annual Report pp. 15-27. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., E.D. Stein, K.C. Schiff. 2008. Origins and mechanisms of watershed and land use based sources of fecal indicator bacteria in urban stormwater. in: S.B. Weisberg, K. Miller (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2008 Annual Report pp. 153-161. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., E.D. Stein, K.C. Schiff. 2007. Watershed and land use-based sources of trace metals in urban stormwater. in: S.B. Weisberg, K. Miller (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2007 Annual Report pp. 13-29. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

Stein, E.D., L.L. Tiefenthaler, K.C. Schiff. 2006. Watershed-based sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban stormwater. in: S.B. Weisberg, K. Miller (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2005-06 Biennial Report pp. 33-50. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Stein, E.D., L.L. Tiefenthaler. 2004. Characterization and source identification of dry-weather metals and bacteria in Ballona Creek. in: S.B. Weisberg, D. Elmore (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2003-04 Biennial Report pp. 179-191. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Greenstein, D.J., L.L. Tiefenthaler, S.M. Bay. 2003. Toxicity of parking lot runoff after simulated rainfall. in: S.B. Weisberg, D. Elmore (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2001-02 Biennial Report pp. 199-208. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., K.C. Schiff, S.M. Bay, D.J. Greenstein. 2003. Effect of antecedent dry periods on the accumulation of potential pollutants on parking lot surfaces using simulated rainfall. in: S.B. Weisberg, D. Elmore (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2001-02 Biennial Report pp. 216-223. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., K.C. Schiff. 2003. Effects of rainfall intensity and duration on first flush of stormwater pollutants. in: S.B. Weisberg, D. Elmore (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 2001-02 Biennial Report pp. 209-215. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., K.C. Schiff, M.K. Leecaster. 2001. Temporal variability patterns of stormwater concentrations in urban stormwater runoff. in: S.B. Weisberg, D. Elmore (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 1999-2000 Annual Report pp. 52-62. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Schiff, K.C., L.L. Tiefenthaler. 2001. Anthropogenic versus natural mass emissions from an urban watershed. in: S.B. Weisberg, D. Elmore (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 1999-2000 Annual Report pp. 63-70. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Leecaster, M.K., K.C. Schiff, L.L. Tiefenthaler. 2001. Assessment of efficient sampling designs for urban stormwater monitoring. in: S.B. Weisberg, D. Elmore (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 1999-2000 Annual Report pp. 45-51. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.

Tiefenthaler, L.L., M.A. Skracic. 1996. Development of sediment bioassays using newly settled California halibut (Paralichthys californicus). in: M.J. Allen, C. Francisco, D. Hallock (eds.), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 1994-95 Annual Report pp. 85-90. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.