Your on-line source for news and information about issues impacting San Francisco Bay, from fish and wildlife to watersheds and wetlands; the Delta, habitat restoration, oil pollution and legislation. Reports provide background, perspective and context to more fully understand these important issues.
The Estuary Report Video Podcasts - Listed
By Publication Date
- Marsh Magic (6/17/11) Watch | Info
- Picking Off Periwinkles (6/17/11) Watch | Info
- Taming Mercury (5/17/11): Watch | Info
- Cleaner Greener Boating (5/2/11): Watch | Info
- Pump It, Don't Dump It (5/2/11): Watch | Info
- Trestle Trouble (4/14/11): Watch | Info
- Cut the Curbs to Claim the Rain (12/14/2010): Watch | Info
- Greener Pest Control (11/23/2010): Watch | Info
- Controlling Ants in Your Home (11/23/2010): Watch | Info
- Fish Friendly Farming (8/24/2010): Watch | Info
- Help From Harbors (8/4/2010): Watch | Info
- Nature's Filtration Systems (8/4/2010): Watch | Info
- Parking Strip Landscaping (7/21/2010): Watch | Info
- Claim the Rain (7/15/2010): Watch | Info
- Slow it, Spread it, Sink it (6/16/2010): Watch | Info
- Let Plants Do the Work (6/16/2010): Watch | Info
- From Storm Sewer to Babbling Brook (6/16/2010): Watch | Info
- Booming Technologies (6/4/2010): Watch | Info
The Estuary Report Video Podcasts - Listed
By Topic
Hot Topics:
Taming Mercury: Mercury has been called San Francisco Bay’s public enemy number one. It is the main pollutant driving public health concerns about eating fish from the Bay, and it is a prime suspect in harming the health of birds and wildlife in the Bay. Its most toxic form is methylmercury because that form “bioaccumulates” in critters in higher and higher concentrations as it moves up the food chain. Learn what scientists are doing to control it. (5/17/11) Watch video
Trestle Trouble: Most of the train trestles over creeks and marshes at the Bay’s edges were built in the late 1800s or early 1900s and are seriously undersized, causing creek waters to back up behind them, resulting in localized flooding. When tides are high and as sea level rises and/or storms become more severe, the problem will only worsen. Some experts say that many costly federal and local flood control projects on the Bay's creeks have been necessitated by undersized trestles and culverts. (4/14/11) Watch video
Greener Boating on the Bay:
Cleaner Greener Boating: Recreational boaters are lucky enough to experience the beauty of the San Francisco Bay and Delta up close and personal. Yet those same people can have huge impacts on the Bay's water quality, especially if they flush untreated sewage into the Bay or don't maintain their boats properly. But there are easy solutions, and James Walter, San Francisco's South Beach Harbormaster, shares some of them in this video. The video also includes information for other harbormasters about grants for installing pumpouts. (5/2/11) Watch video
Pump It, Don't Dump It: When we consider the fact that over one million registered boats cruise the waters of California, we can begin to understand the potential impact that recreational boaters can have on their environment. The untreated sewage discharge of one devoted weekend boater produces an amount of bacterial pollution equal to that of 10,000 people whose wastes are treated. This is why it is so important for all of us who enjoy California's 1.4 million acres of water to do our part and pump out our marine storage devices. In this video, James Muller demonstrates how to use a pumpout properly. (5/2/11) Watch video
Green Streets and Infrastructure:
Cut the Curbs to Claim the Rain: How can Bay Area cities green their streets, making them more livable and attractive, while helping San Francisco Bay? Two pioneers from El Cerrito and two scientists from the Estuary Institute explain how green stormwater treatment systems help slow and filter polluted water before it reaches local creeks and San Francisco Bay. (12/14/10) Watch video
Nature's Filtration Systems: Two scientists explain how the soil and plants in green stormwater treatment systems filter pollutants and how scientists are studying the process and reporting their results. Our guests are Lester McKee and Sarah Pearce with the San Francisco Estuary Institute. (8/4/2010) Watch video
Parking Strip Landscaping: Removing concrete helps create a more permeable watershed in San Francisco. Our guest is Jane Martin, San Francisco architect and founder of PlantSF. (7/21/2010) Watch video
Claim the Rain: Choosing the right soils and plants can transform home and public gardens into beautiful filtration systems that protect our creeks and the San Francisco Bay. Eric Berntsen, a specialist with the California State Water Resources Control Board, shares the many benefits of rain gardens. (7/15/2010) Watch video
Slow it, Spread it, Sink it: Learn about green streets and stormwater. Our guests are Brock Dolman with Occidental Arts & Ecology Center and Keith Lichten with San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. (6/16/2010) Watch video
Let Plants Do the Work: What is soil bioengineering? Our guest is Mike Vukman with Urban Creeks Council. (6/16/2010) Watch video
From Storm Sewer to Babbling Brook: How does creek restoration help the Bay? Our guests are Ann L. Riley with San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board and Drew Goetting with Design Restoration Group. (6/16/2010) Watch video
Invasives:
Picking Off Periwinkles: Littorina littorea is an exotic snail that has been introduced into San Francisco Bay. It is a small creature, so what harm can it do? Turns out it can have big impacts on native species. (6/17/2011) Watch video
Less Spray/Better Bay:
Homeowners and building managers can eliminate or reduce pesticides by using Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which involves good housekeeping, making physical changes to keep pests out, and using less or non-toxic pesticides. Chemical solutions should be used as a last resort, and if they are used, should be used in the smallest possible and targeted amounts.
Greener Pest Control: San Francisco Estuary Partnership Communications Officer Athena Honore and EcoWise Certified Program Manager Ted Shapas talk about the importance of integrated pest management and offer tips for homeowners and building managers. (11/23/2010) Watch video
Controlling Ants in Your Home: Ant pesticides are so toxic that even tiny amounts sprayed in and around your house can kill the microscopic creatures at the base of the food chain in creeks many miles downstream. In this report, we offer environmentally sound met hods to deter ants from entering your home. (11/23/2010) Watch video
Resources:
Farmers Work to Improve Water Quality:
Fish Friendly Farming: Fish Friendly Farming® is a certification program for agricultural properties that are managed to restore fish and wildlife habitat and improve water quality. Our guest is Laurel Marcus, Executive Director of the California Land Stewardship Institute California Land Stewardship Institute, that was formed in 2004 to run Fish Friendly Farming. (8/24/2010) Watch video
Oil Spills:
Help From Harbors: Harbors lining San Francisco Bay are impacted by oil spills but harbor masters are often overlooked as resources and potential responders. Ted Warburton, Harbormaster at the Brisbane Marina, talks about his experience during the Cosco Busan oil spill. (8/4/2010) Watch video
Booming Technologies: Stephanie Brown, Oil Response Engineer with the United States Navy, offers background and up-to-date information regarding booming technologies which can be used to stop and collect oil after a spill. (6/4/2010) Watch video
Wetlands:
Marsh Magic: The Estuary Partnership and Marin Audubon Society are working to enhance the habitat value of seasonal and tidal marshes at Bahia Marsh in Marin County, over a three-year period. We are growing and planting 40,920 native plants to help establish upland transition zones adjacent to the existing tidal wetlands. These plants will help create a more ecologically complete and resilient wetland habitat attractive to the federally-listed, endangered California clapper rail and salt marsh harvest mouse, and other wildlife. The seasonal and tidal wetlands, uplands, and transition zones will form an integrated network of habitats. (6/17/2011) Watch video
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