This webpage was updated on September 30, 2024

Water Quality


Coastal and marine biodiversity depends on clean water. Plastic pollution, harmful algal blooms, nutrient runoff, and chemical pollutants harm ecosystems and species, and trigger significant health and economic costs for Californians, including costs related to litter cleanup, contaminated beaches, and fisheries closures. OPC’s Water Quality Program is focused on addressing ongoing and emerging threats to California’s coastal and ocean water quality and reducing pollution from land to sea, guided by OPC’s Strategic Plan Goal 3: Enhance Coastal and Marine Biodiversity, Objective 3.4 Improve Coastal and Ocean Water Quality. OPC works to protect water quality through collaborative partnerships that address issues at the source to prevent and reduce ongoing pollution and by leveraging funding for innovative projects and research.  

Current Programs

Plastic
Pollution

Discover our strategies to prevent and reduce plastic pollution, including the California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy and the Statewide Microplastics Strategy.

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Ocean Acidification
and Hypoxia

Learn about our efforts to protect California’s coastal communities and marine ecosystems from the damaging impacts of ocean acidification and hypoxia.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/49503118795@N01/52321303510

Harmful Algal
Blooms

Explore our initiatives to address the dangers of harmful algal blooms on humans and marine life, including real-time tracking and early warning systems along California’s coast.

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Mussel Watch Program collaborators from the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) collecting Mytilus mussels. Credit: NOAA.

Emerging
Contaminants

Find out about our work to research and manage emerging contaminants, including monitoring strategies for unregulated chemicals in California’s marine ecosystems.

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Related Program Updates

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Staff Contact

Christine Sur
Water Quality
Program Manager
Christine.Sur@resources.ca.gov

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