Environmental Testing

, ,

Are the Tides Turning for the Dying Salton Sea?

, ,

It looks like something from the beginning of a science fiction novel—dilapidated and decaying architecture protrudes from red-stained shores, swirling clouds of toxic dust whip over the desolate landscape, and a horrible smell like rotting eggs wafts from the surface of the listless water. But this isn’t a colony on Mars or an apocalyptic future Earth; this is the present-day Salton Sea in Imperial County, California.

For decades, the State of California has failed to address this accidental lake turned environmental catastrophe. The once thriving Salton Sea now faces a host of issues with receding shores, contaminated water, and an exposed playa (or lakebed) that forms massive, toxic dust storms. Although California took responsibility for maintaining the Salton Sea in the early 2000s, the state has yet to allocate the money and workforce needed to fix this brewing disaster. But after years of red tape and unfulfilled promises, the tides may be turning for the Salton Sea. In November of 2020….

, , ,

PFAS Remediation - Time To Clean Up Our Act

, , ,

With our world waking up to the realization some everyday products contain forever chemicals known as PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, scientists and engineers are working to find the most cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally responsible way to remediate them. The financial and technical challenges of remediating PFAS are cause for serious concern. With over 2,300 contaminated sites across the United States to clean-up, we need an efficient method for removing these toxic chemicals from our water, soil, and biota. But remediation efforts currently face two enormous hurdles: who will pay, and how will we clean up the environmental mess we are just beginning to uncover?

, ,

SWB Shows Renewed Focus on Constituents of Emerging Concern

, ,

Man-made chemicals are everywhere in our modern world—in pharmaceuticals, health care products, pesticides, and cookware. But a vast array of the same chemicals present in our household goods also contaminate our environment and aquatic ecosystems. These Constituents of Emerging Concern, or CECs, are gaining notoriety as potential hazards to marine environments, aquatic wildlife, and human health. In response to rapid advancements in testing and a growing body of literature surrounding emerging contaminants, the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) was asked by the State Water Board (SWB) in April 2020, to reconvene the CEC Ecosystem Panel. The panel, tasked with updating previous recommendations for monitoring CECs, is on track to produce a new report by…

,

Happy Earth Day!

,

Happy Earth Day! As a leading environmental lab, Babcock Laboratories is dedicated to safeguarding the world’s most important natural resource…

, ,

Local Water Quality: Regional Boards Have a Plan For That!

, ,

Water is a foundational, and frequently contentious, aspect of California’s legislation and history. Laws governing water rights were some of the first laws passed after California gained statehood in 1850. By the turn of the century, California had created the first iteration of what is now the State Water Board and published the first version of the state water plan. But by the 1940s, rapid urban and industrial development led to increased concern over water quality. The next few decades oversaw the establishment of what are now California’s key water quality regulators: the Regional Water Quality Control Boards.

The modern regional boards are rooted in the 1949 Dickey Water Pollution Act, which established the first State Water Pollution Control Board and corresponding regional boards. The Act recognized that water problems throughout the state varied based on regional precipitation, climate, topography, population, and development. To address these variances, lawmakers created…

, ,

March Showers Bring More Than April Flowers to Water Conservation

, ,

Californians have traditionally managed stormwater as both a waste product and an environmental hazard. But extreme droughts and harsh storm events have shifted perceptions over the last few decades. In regions struggling with water security, stormwater capture can increase water resiliency, protect urban developments, and safeguard water quality. Moving forward, stormwater capture will become increasingly important to water conservation efforts.

The growing importance of stormwater is intrinsically connected to the effects of global climate change on California’s water supplies and precipitation patterns. Global warming is no secret; average air temperatures have increased since 1895 and last year saw a record breaking heat wave. Nowhere is temperature rise more apparent than in the Sierra Nevada Mountains—a vital source of water for the state. The Sierra snowpack provides drinking water to 23 million Californians and feeds into several important state water infrastructure projects. The mountains serve as our frozen reservoirs during the winter, stockpiling water and gradually releasing it as snowmelt during the spring. But rising temperatures mean less snow and more rain in the mountains and an accelerated springtime melting process. Consequently, stormwater floods can overwhelm reservoirs, which are not built to efficiently capture or store large, sudden influxes of water. Snow reserves have…