Advisory group convened to consider developing cyanotoxin thresholds for aquatic life

SCCWRP has convened a technical advisory group to study whether the State Water Board should develop cyanotoxin monitoring thresholds that better protect vulnerable aquatic life from the impacts of ecologically disruptive cyanobacterial blooms.

The six-member advisory group, which began reviewing cyanotoxin data at a meeting in September, will examine whether existing guidance intended to protect the health of swimmers exposed to cyanotoxins also is relevant for protecting aquatic life exposed for prolonged periods.

The group will identify cyanotoxin concentrations harmful to aquatic organisms, then compare these numbers to recreational thresholds for cyanotoxins that have been proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of California.

The results of this review will be presented at a scientific workshop in spring 2020, where experts and water quality managers will be asked to develop research recommendations to address remaining management questions.