CALIFORNIA STATE MUSSEL PROGRAM (SMWP) The SMWP was initiated in 1977 by the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The SMWP was organized to provide a uniform statewide approach to the detection and evaluation of the occurrence of toxic substances in the waters of California's bays, harbors, and estuaries through the analysis of mussels and clams. The SMWP primarily targets areas with known or suspected impaired water quality and is not intended to give an overall water quality assessment. The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) carries out the statewide SMWP for the SWRCB by collecting and analyzing samples. The SWRCB provides funding under an ongoing interagency agreement with the DFG. Sampling stations are selected primarily by the six coastal Regional Water Quality Control Boards. Tissue concentrations of trace elements are reported in parts per million (ppm), while concentrations of synthetic organic pollutants are reported in parts per billion (ppb). Results are determined on a dry weight basis (i.e., parts of pollutant per million/billion parts of all soft tissues, including moisture and lipids). These values are mathematically converted to concentrations in wet weight (parts of pollutant per million/billion parts of dried soft tissues) and lipid weight (parts of pollutant per billion parts of lipid [fat] tissue) bases using percent moisture and percent lipid values determined for each sample conglomerate. Lipid weight results are calculated only for samples analyzed for synthetic organic substances, because these substances tend to accumulate more readily in fatty tissues than trace elements. Tissue concentrations for a specific pollutant in a specific sample increase as results are converted from wet to dry and from wet to lipid weight bases. LINEAGE INFORMATION: The SMWP data base was obtained on June 2, 1997 as a zipped file (Smwdbase.zip) from the SWRCB Web site at: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/pubs.htm. In order to simplify use of the SMWP data, the various tables obtained from the SWRCB Web site were unzipped, imported into MS Access, and manipulated to provide the same data, but in 3 tables that are easier to query: One table shows the monitoring stations (which has become the ArcView point coverage), one contains the sample measurements (with the station ID, date, parameter name and value), and a third contains some general info about the sampling sessions (e.g., species sampled, avg shell length, percent lipid). The latter two tables, both in txt format (Samples.txt and SampInfo.txt) can be linked to the ArcView Shapefile (Muslwch3.shp) in an ArcView project using the Station Number (StaNum) field. This allows a direct examination of parameter data when selecting a particular sampling station. THE PARAMETER VALUES SHOWN ARE IN PPM OR PPB UNITS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED. The original zipped file from the SWRCB Web site is also included on the CD, in the MUSLWTCH\ZIPPED directory. Included with the zipped data is the file SMWDES.WP which is in a WordPerfect for Windows 5.2 format. This file has been translated into a MS Word 2.0 document and an ASCII text file as well, for user convenience. The document describes the SMWP program and data base used at the SWRCB and provides column abbreviation information, units of measurements, and other specific information needed to understand the data base in its original form. SINCE THE DATA HAVE BEEN MERGED FROM MANY TABLES INTO A FEW, MOST OF THE DOCUMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE REFORMATED DATA. The following excerpt from the SMWP documentation provides information regarding the fields in the SampInfo.txt table: 1. ID (Identification Number) - Each individual sample that is analyzed is given a unique I.D. number to identify it. Samples taken from the same station, but at different times, are given different I.D. numbers. Organic and element samples from the same location and time receive the same ID, unless the type of animal used differs, in which case separate ID numbers are assigned. ID provides the exclusive means to conclusively identify an individual sample for a particular site on a particular date for a particular sample species. For this reason, ID is used in all tables where analytical results are located. 2. STANUM (Sample Station Number) - Each station location where samples are collected is given a unique station number. Station numbers may be repeated within and among years, if more than one sample has been taken at a particular site. Station numbers generally run sequentially from north to south, but do not necessarily correspond to Region number. 3. STANAME (Sample Station Name) - Each station site is given a unique station name, usually based on a local landmark. Some station names are abbreviated to fit a 34 space field. Each Station Name is exclusively assigned to only one Station Number. 4. CDATE (Date Sample Collected) - The date that each sample was collected in the field is listed, as month, day year (MM/DD/YY). 5. YEAR (Year of Sample Collection) - A two digit code for the year (i.e., State Fiscal Year: July 1 to June 30) of collection is included. Fiscal Year 1977-78, for example, is YEAR 78. For archive ssamples, YEAR indicates the fiscal year analysis was performed. 6. SPECTYPE (Sample or Species Type) - Table 8 lists the types of sample species or sample types and the abbreviations used in the data base tables. SPECTYPE followed by "-a" indicate an archive sample. A small number of 1982-83 transplanted California mussel samples were experimentally depurated prior to analysis; SPECTYPE for these samples is identified by "TCM-d". Likewise, a small number of 1983-84 resident mussel samples were identified by "RCM-l", "RCM-s", or "RBM-s" when large or small shell sizes were experimentally used in those particular samples. 7. DURATION (Duration of Sample Transplantation) - For transplanted animals, the time in months between the date when the sample was deployed at the sampling site and the date when the sample was collected is listed. 8. PWATER_E, PWATER_O (Percent Moisture in Samples) - The percent of moisture in samples analyzed for trace elements or synthetic organic substances is listed. These values are useful for converting dry weight results to wet weight-based concentrations, using the formulae in Table 9. [See full documentation.] 9. LENGTH_E, LENGTH_O (Average Shell Length) - The average length, in millimeters, is listed for the shells in each (trace element or synthetic organic) bivalve sample. LENGTH_O is calculated by measuring the lengths of 15 randomly selected animals in each sample. LENGTH_E is calculated by measuring the length of 15 randomly selected animals that are pooled from the first replicate value of each set of three values of each element sample. 10. PLIPID (Percent of Lipid [Fat] Materials in Sample Tissues) - For samples analyzed for synthetic organic pollutants the percent of lipid in the sample is listed. This value is used to calculate synthetic organic substance tissue concentrations on a lipid weight basis, using formulae contained in Table 9. Lipid weight values are calculated using wet weight data. 11. REGION (Regional Water Resources Control Board Code) - The number of the Regional Board in whose region a sample resides. Only regions whose boundaries include marine or estuarine areas are included. [NOTE: Only data identified for Region 3 was included on this CD.] 12. COUNTY - The California coastal county where the station is located is listed. 13. LAT, LONG (Sample Latitude and Longitude) - The latitude and longitude of each station is listed. 14. YEAR78 - YEAR93 (Analytical Type by Year of Collection) - An indication of whether a trace element ("TE ") or synthetic organic substance (" SO") (or both (["TESO"]) analysis was performed in a particular sampling year is given in these columns. "ns" = Not Sampled. Additional Information on Measurements found in Samples.txt: Negative numbers are used as entries for analytical results in the VALUES field of the Samples table under the following special circumstances: - 8.0 = Not Detected (The pollutant concentration was below the detection limit of the analytical test and instrumentation used). - 9.0 = Not Analyzed (An analysis for a particular substance was not performed for a particular sample.) Detection limits for each chemical may vary from year to year, and are listed in Mussel Watch reports. Four of the analytical variables are totals, and are defined here: Total of DDT Substances: TDDT = DDDOP + DDDPP + DDEOP + DDEPP + DDMSPP + DDMUPP + DDTOP + DDTPP Total of Chlordane Substances: TOTCL = ACDEN + GCDEN + CCDAN + TCDAN + CNONA + OCDAN + TNONA Total of PCB Arochlor Compounds: TPCB = PCB48 + PCB54 + PCB60 (sum of PCB aroclor concentrations) Total of Endosulfan Substances: TENDO = ENDO1 + ENDO2 + ENDOS Totals are calculated as follows: 1. When all compounds in a total listed above are present at levels above the detection limit, they are summed to calculate the total. 2. When some compounds in a total listed above are reported as less than the detection limit, the total is composed of only those compound values above the detection limit. 3. If all compounds in a total listed above are reported as less than the detection limit, the total is reported as not detected (-8.0). 4. If any of the compounds in a total listed above are reported as not analyzed, the total is reported as not analyzed (-9.0). Variable names for wet weight, dry weight, and lipid weight organic chemicals are distinguished by the suffices "_W", "_D", or "_L". [NOTE: The table METREP, though described in the SMWP documentation, was not present in the zipped file from SWRCB.] CONTACT INFORMATION: The State Board staff would appreciate being notified of any errors in the Mussel Watch data base or resulting publications. Please address corrections to the: State Mussel Watch Program Manager Division of Water Quality State Water Resources Control Board P. O. Box 944213 Sacramento, CA 94244-2130. Questions concerning the original SMWP data base files or the SMWP program can be directed to Del Rasmussen, SWRCB, Division of Water Quality, P.O. Box 944213, Sacramento, CA 94244-2130 [(916) 657-0916]. SMWP data reports are available and can be requested through the SWRCB's Office of Legislative and Public Affairs at (916)657-1247.