1 - USSGS Bay Studies

WAYSIDE LAYOUT: There are 2 horizontally oriented panels, side by side, on top of a fence overlooking the water. Both panels have a black band across the top and text on the left that reads, “Alcatraz Island” and the USGS and NPS logos on the right side.  

WAYSIDE #1: The first wayside panel has 3 main sections. The first is text on the left side. The second is a map that takes up the top, right half of the panel. The third section is an illustration that spans the width of the panel 

TEXT: Monitoring Bay and Delta Waters. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey are working to better understand the impacts of water and sediment dynamics in the San Francisco Bay and Delta. Since the 1980’s, instruments have been installed at many sites to monitor water levels and temperature, and to measure sediment, salt and oxygen content. This information is critical for making decisions that affect the future of the Bay and Delta.  

Monitoring Stations. Monitoring stations, like the one at the end of this pier, report water quality parameters every 15 minutes. Scientists use this data to provide crucial information for agencies and groups interested in Bay ecosystems restoration, fish conservation, and resource management. This station is visited every three to four weeks for cleaning and calibration.  

MAP: The map is showing the entire bay and delta area. North is towards the top of the panel. The map spans south to San Jose all the way north to Tomales Bay and as far east as Stockton. The map shows the land in white and the water in blue and has arrows in the bay showing the tidal flow in and out of the bay and surrounding Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Orange dots mark the locations of the monitoring stations. In the top right of the panel, inset, is a small green colored map of California, showing the extent of the area shown, in relation to the state.  

ILLUSTRATION: Along the bottom of the panel is a colored illustration featuring a brown wooden pier like structure on the left, protruding from the water. It has multiple posts connected together and on top one of the posts is a Brown Pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis). At the end of the structure is an example of the monitoring station. A rod, or davit, is attached to the end of the structure and protrudes out over the water. A line drops down from the davit into the water and at the end of the line are two sensor carriages, and Upper and a Lower sensor. A weight is at the end of the line to hold it in place. An inset image shows details of the sensor carriage. It has a tube attached to a suspension line and a sensor head attached to the tube, sticking out from it. A sensor cable is attached to the sensor head and follows back up the line to the davit.  

Below the pier, the illustration beneath the water’s surface. The wooden posts have algae growth on it. There is text on the posts. 

TEXT: The California Coastal Conservancy, California Department of Water Resources 

Below the water’s surface and in the middle is a large White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus).  

On the right side of the illustration is a boat floating on the water coming into the panel to the left. At the bow of the boat, is a man standing, using a tall reel that is attached to the boat. He is wearing a bright orange life vest and green pants. The reel extends from the boat and has a line with a torpedo shaped device being lowered into the water. The boat also has a tall pole attached to the side that extends both up, into the air, and down below the surface of the water. Above and to the left is text.  

TEXT: Research Vessels. Along with monitoring stations, the U.S. Geological Survey uses research vessels to collect water samples throughout the Bay and Delta.  

QR CODE: In the bottom right corner is a QR code and text reads, “Learn more about sediment flow in the Bay.”  

WAYSIDE #2: The second panel has a main background image with text and 4 illustrations with text. The illustrations are oriented from left to right in a clockwise direction.  

BACKGROUND: An illustration covers ¾ of the panel. The illustration is a perspective drawing looking east into the San Francisco Bay. The water is a greenish blue color and the land is a cream, light brown. There are orange arrows showing the sediment flow from the bay and delta as it flows out to the Pacific Ocean.  

TEXT: Sediment Flow in San Francisco Bay. Flowing water carries suspended sediment into San Francisco Bay. This is important to the Bay’s natural environment. Here are some ways human demands have changed sediment flow and have affected the bay.  

DESCRIPTION #1: A colored illustration featuring a white snowy egret walking through tall green grass on the sandy edge of water. The egret has a bright white body, a thin, orange, pointy beak, and thin, black legs.  

TEXT: Tidal Marshes. Tidal marshes provide animal habitats and prevent erosion. Expanding towns and cities have claimed major parts of the Bay’s marsh land. Sediment deposits are essential to rebuilding tidal marshes and keeping existing marshes intact, especially as sea levels rise.  

DESCRIPTION #2: Colored illustration of a chinook salmon. It is silvery white on its belly is gray with black spots on its back.  

CAPTION: Water Clarity. Murky or cloudy water reveals the amount of suspended sediment in the Bay. Reduced sediment increases water clarity, making certain fish more vulnerable to predators. It also decreases oxygen, harming the health of aquatic life.  

DESCRIPTION #3: Colored illustration of a large black and orange boat. A small green and white tugboat is positioned at the front of the boat, pushing it towards the left of the image.  

TEXT: Construction and Development. Dredging shipping channels, land reclamation, along with building dams and levees have reduced sediment flow into and around the Bay.  

DESCRIPTION #4: A colored illustration showing a rocky coastline on the left, that has fallen away from a parking lot and road on the right. In the parking lot, next to the crumbling cliff are three colored cars, yellow, red and blue. The rocky cliff is crumbling down into the beach and ocean below.  

CAPTION: Coastal Erosion. Decreased sediment supply depletes the sand on beaches and increases coastal erosion in some places.