Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

3020 State University Drive East 
Modoc Hall, Room 3006
Sacramento, CA 95819
Phone: 916-278-9485
Fax: 916-278-9475
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/

Samples of contaminant-related research at WERC:

Contaminated Habitats: Hazardous Waste Sites

• Potential Impacts of Contaminants on Wildlife at Edwards Air Force Base. Download  a fact sheet about the project (76.68 KB, PDF). Principal Investigator A. Keith Miles
  
  

Contaminated Habitats: Mining, Metals, Mercury, and Energy Development

• Mercury at the Oat Hill Extension Mine and James Creek, Napa County, California: Tailings, Sediment, Water, and Biota, 2003-2004, Open-file report 2007-1132.
  
  
• Mercury Contamination and Effects on Survival of American Avocet and Black-necked Stilt Chicks in San Francisco Bay, Ecotoxicology 17:103-116 (Abstract).
  
  
• Mercury Contamination in Waterbirds Breeding in San Francisco Bay  - an article from the October 2007 issue of Soundways, USGS monthly newsletter.
  
  
• Mercury in Birds in the San Francisco Bay-Delta (CALFED program website)
  
  
• Ackerman, JT, CA Eagles-Smith, GH Heinz, SE Wainwright-De La Cruz, JY Takekawa, TL Adelsbach, AK Miles, DJ Hoffman, SE Schwarzbach, TH Suchanek, and TC Maurer. 2007. Mercury in birds of the San Francisco Bay-Delta: trophic pathways, bioaccumulation, and ecotoxicological risk to avian reproduction. 2006 Annual Administrative Report, U. S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Davis, CA, and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Contaminants Division, Sacramento, CA, 44 pp. [Technical Report] Download the Report (2.23 MB, PDF)
  
  
• Mercury Contamination from Historical Gold Mining in California

Integration of Ecological Stressors: Multistressor Research

• Effects of Contaminants and Nonindigenous Invasive Species on Surf Scoters in the San Francisco Bay Estuary (tracking selenium, mercury, and casium, contaminants typical for San Francisco Bay area in migratory birds sea ducks as a group and surf scoter in particular)
  

Integration of Ecological Stressors: Monitoring

• Baseline emergent contaminant monitoring of Crissy Field Tidal Marsh prior to use of treated wastewater for irrigation. Visit Crissy Field project page on the National Park Service Web site to learn about interdisciplinary multi-agency restoration and monitoring efforts in the area of former waste dump. Biologists from WERC collaborate with colleagues from Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)on determining the presence and potential estrogenic activity of chemicals sequestered by POCI.

For Resource Managers

• Mercury in American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts Breeding in San Francisco Bay - Publication Brief for Resource Managers from USGS Western Ecological Research Center.

• Publication Brief for Resource Managers: Mercury Contamination and Effects on Avocet and Stilt Chick Survival presents main findings of this study and their management implications.