San Francisco Bay - Collection of Articles | KQED: Recent Episodes
San Francisco Bay - Collection of Articles | KQED
There's a hidden danger that has been lurking in the San Francisco Bay since the days of Gold Rush mining: mercury. In 2008, the regional Water Board launched a multi-billion-dollar plan to clean up this potent neurotoxin, but mercury levels in fish and wildlife remain as high as ever.
This week, after decades of legal delays and foot dragging by the coal and power industry, the EPA unveiled a new rule protecting public health from mercury and other toxins.
Like the great pyramids of Egypt, the 550-mile Ridge Trail will take generations to complete. Think of it as a local Appalachian Trail for the current crop of two-year olds.
Dumping garbage into the bay wasn’t only convenient, it served the larger goal of getting rid of the bay entirely.
The Bay Area's vast Hetchy Hetchy system, "a dream in granite, concrete, and steel," is getting an overhaul. The system carries water 167 miles from Yosemite to Bay Area taps; pretty soon that voyage will include the Bay's first true tunnel.
What do Bay Area airports and some big Silicon Valley companies have in common? They sit right on the edge of San Francisco Bay, where sea level rise is expected to have a big impact by the end of the century.
One of the most ambitious wetland restoration projects in the country is underway in San Francisco Bay. Thousands of acres of those ponds are being restored for shorebirds and wildlife.
A dedicated group of outdoor lovers and trail planners is working to build a 500-mile trail around San Francisco Bay. Come along as QUEST hikes and bikes the newest section.
I thought I’d check in on the sea lions at Pier 39. Just a few years ago, there were about 1600 of them. Then in 2009, most of them swam away.
Peer into San Francisco Bay and you probably won't see much, thanks to the murky water the bay is known for. But over the past decade, scientists have made a surprising discovery -- the bay's water is clearing. As Lauren Sommer reports, clearer water is not always good news.
Hundreds of invasive species have been found in San Francisco Bay, one of the most invaded estuaries in the world. Hoping to restore native fish and wildlife, California has passed the strictest rules in the nation to prevent ocean freighters from introducing more foreign species to the bay. But as Lauren Sommer reports, the standards are so tough, officials may not be able to enforce them.
Sea-level rise is happening and more than 100 million people could be affected globally over the next century even under somewhat conservative projections.
Scientists say it's no secret San Francisco Bay is rising, along with all of the earth's oceans. The reason -- global warming. This rise in sea level will affect everyone who lives, works, or plays near the bay. QUEST asks how high will the Bay rise and when? And what steps can communities take to plan for it?
Big Break Regional Shoreline is a part of the great 1,680-square-mile San Francisco/San Joaquin Delta. This "Inland Coast" is home to 70 species of birds, and provides valuable habitat for beavers, muskrats, and river otters.