The mission of the California Freshwater and Estuarine Harmful Algal Bloom (FHAB) Program is to support the protection, prevention, and reduction of health risks of algal blooms impacting humans, animals, and the environment. The program coordinates and provides resources for monitoring, response, and research to collect quality data to inform mitigation and management decisions to address drivers of FHABs statewide.
In the past 50 years, freshwater and estuarine harmful algal blooms (FHABs) have been increasingly studied in California. FHABs can be found across the entire state affecting rivers, streams, lakes, and estuaries and with some occurring year-round. FHABs negatively impact the safety of our drinking water, tribal subsistence fishing, tribal tradition and cultural practices, fish and mussel consumption, recreational uses, and ecosystem health throughout the state and tribal lands. With greater than 3,000 lakes, 190,000 river miles, diverse ecosystems ranging from deserts to temperate rainforests, and over 40 million inhabitants, California faces a complex management issue for FHABs. These impacts translate to the loss of attainment of up to ten beneficial uses in the California Water Code, and economic impacts are estimated to be in the millions of dollars. With the loss of these beneficial uses, comprehensive statewide monitoring and management efforts are necessary to inform the public of potential health risks and reduce the occurrence, duration, and severity of FHABs in California.
This page is designed to help new users understand the purpose of the FHAB Wiki, how to navigate its content, and how to begin their own FHAB monitoring efforts. You'll find a brief overview of the site’s structure, instructions for using key sections, and a step-by-step introduction to monitoring for beginners.
The Water Boards alone cannot monitor every waterbody across California, but with partner support, we can expand FHAB monitoring, improve public transparency, and collect critical data to prevent and manage blooms. Visit here to learn how to start your own monitoring efforts.