OSPR Labs Special Projects: Grasslands Bypass Project

The Grasslands Bypass Project, initiated in 1996, is operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authorities. The Project arose due to concerns regarding the impact of agricultural runoff from the Grassland Watershed on central California’s wildlife refuges and wetlands. The California Regional Water Control Board in the Central Valley issued a waste discharge requirement that specified the maximum amount of selenium allowed in discharges, requiring regular water testing and monitoring. Samples of the agricultural drainage water are collected and sent to OSPR Laboratories to be analyzed for selenium concentration. These data are then used to verify compliance with the selenium discharge requirement. The selenium load being discharged from the Grassland Watershed has been reduced 61% since the initiation of the Project, leading to improved habitat for wildlife which use these sensitive resources.

man holding tiny fish in his hand
people electro fish from a boat
buckets of tiny fish

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