Suspended Solids are small particles that absorb sunlight and give color to the water. Most of the suspended solids in the Bay are clay particles, but other components include other mineral particles, microbes, and detritus. Sediments are carried from the surrounding land surfaces into the Bay by rivers, and they tend to settle onto the seafloor. Strong tidal currents and wind waves can resuspend these sediments into the water column. The plot shows two vertical profiles of suspended solids obtained using an Optical Backscatter Sensor.

Plot Description:
1. This profile was measured near the Bay Bridge on March 26, 1996. It shows low suspended solids concentration and uniform distribution from the surface to bottom depths. This condition is observed when tidal currents are weak and winds are calm, and thus the current stresses applied to the seafloor are not strong enough to suspend bottom sediments.

2. This profile was measured in San Pablo Bay on February 6, 1996. It is an example of elevated suspended solids concentrations in the bottom waters. This condition is observed when tidal currents are rapid enough to resuspend sediments off the bottom and move them up into the water column.