Effort launched to build network of Southern California estuary monitoring sites

SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to build a network of estuary monitoring sites across Southern California that can serve as sentinel indicators for how the region’s coastal wetlands are being affected by environmental stressors brought on by climate change and human activities.

The sentinel site network, which researchers began building in September, will be optimized to generate long-term monitoring insights about coastal estuary health, including how Southern California’s estuaries are being affected by sea level rise.

The sentinel site monitoring program, which will be run through the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project, also is intended help improve coordination and data sharing among the many agencies involved with monitoring and managing the region’s coastal estuaries.

Already, researchers have developed selection criteria for the sentinel sites and a list of recommended monitoring sites.