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Water Quality of San Francisco Bay
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Where are Measurements Made?

In order to describe water quality along the longitudinal axis of the San Francisco Bay-Delta system, we collect measurements at 37 fixed sampling locations spaced 3-6 kilometers apart. These sampling stations are located along the central deep channel, from the southern limit of South Bay, through Central Bay, San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Strait, Suisun Bay, and ending at Rio Vista on the Sacramento River.

The table below describes the location, latitude, longitude, and water depth (at mean low water) for each standard station:

Station
Number
General Location
North
Latitude
West
Longitude
Depth MLW
(meters)
657Rio Vista38° 8.9'121° 41.3'10.1
649Sacramento River3.7'48.0'10.1
2Chain Island3.8'51.3'11.3
3Pittsburg3.0'52.7'11.3
4Simmons Point2.9'56.1'11.6
5Middle Ground3.6'58.8'9.8
6Roe Island3.9'122° 2.1'10.1
7Avon Pier2.9'5.8'11.6
8Martinez1.8'9.1'14.3
9Benicia3.0'10.4'34.4
10Crockett3.6'12.5'17.7
11Mare Island3.7'15.8'15.5
12Pinole Shoal3.1'18.7'8.8
13N. of Pinole Point1.7'22.2'9.8
14"Echo" Buoy0.4'24.3'13.1
15Point San Pablo37° 58.5'122°26.2'22.9
16"Charlie" Buoy54.9'26.8'12.8
17Raccoon Strait52.9'25.6'32.0
18Point Blunt50.8'25.3'43.0
20Blossom Rock49.2'23.6'18.2
21Bay Bridge47.3'21.5'17.4
22Potrero Point45.9'21.5'18.0
23Hunter's Point43.7'20.2'20.1
24Candlestick Point41.9'20.3'11.0
25Oyster Point40.2'19.5'8.8
26San Bruno Shoal38.1'18.8'9.8
27San Francisco Airport37.1'17.5'13.0
28N. of San Mateo Bridge36.1'16.2'16.2
29S. of San Mateo Bridge34.8'14.7'14.6
29.5 Steinberger Slough 34.1'13.1'14.6
30Redwood Creek33.3'11.4'12.8
31Coyote Hills31.7'9.5'13.7
32Ravenswood Point31.1'8.0'12.8
33Dumbarton Bridge37° 30.5'122° 7.3'11.6
34Newark Slough29.7'5.6'7.9
35Mowry Slough28.8'4.8'8.5
36Calaveras Point28.3'3.9'7.9

Non-standard stations were sampled historically on an irregular basis, the table below describes their location, latitude, longitude, and water depth (at mean low water) when known:

Station
Number
General Location
North
Latitude
West
Longitude
Depth MLW
(meters)
662  38° 13.6'121° 40.2'10.1
659  10.7'140.0'10.1
655N.sof Three Mile Slough 7.3'42.1'10.1
654  6.3'42.5' 
653Mid-Decker Island 6.3'43.2'10.1
652 5.2'44.8' 
651  4.7'45.8' 
650  4.3'46.5' 
411Garnet Sill5.8'3.5' 
407Reserve Fleet 4 4.3'5.6' 
405Reserve Fleet 2 2.9'7.4' 
12.5Pinole Point2.4'18.9'6.7
19Golden Gate37° 49.1'122° 28.3'91.0
28.5Geo Probe35.8' 14.1'15.7

NOTE: August 1999 through January 2002 stations 5-7 were not sampled. Instead, Suisun Bay was sampled at stations 405, 407 and 411. Data from these stations are included in the data tables and database but are excluded from the data plots.

Station Map Image
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Page Last Modified: Monday, 11-Jun-2012 15:20:15 PDT