| Abstract | We summarize here the scientific data and analyses that support a conclusion that beneficial uses have
been impaired in selected water bodies in California. The list of water bodies treated here is far from
comprehensive. We do not include the waters of San Francisco Bay and its various subembayments,
because these have already been listed as impaired by the State Board. More significantly, we do not
include at this time a large number of other water bodies where we believe there is information to
support a conclusion that they have been impaired by exotic species, but where we have not yet
compiled the relevant data and analyses.
We first define some terms that we will use (Section 2). To avoid repetition, we then discuss the general
data and analyses that relate to certain types and aspects of impacts from exotic species that are common
to all the water bodies discussed herein and contribute to the impairment of their beneficial uses (Section
3). These deal with impacts on species composition, habitat and biological diversity; and with the
generally long-term, increasing, spreading, and often irreversible nature of exotic species' impacts. We
then present the data and analyses regarding impairment of beneficial uses for several water systems in
California (Sections 4-10) |
