Pulsed Exposure Toxicity Testing: Method Development and Initial Evaluation for Stormwater Compliance

This report describes a preliminary research effort to modify whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing protocols designed for continuous flow discharges for application to episodic and/or ephemeral discharges such as those associated with storm water runoff. The effort was undertaken in response to a Naval Base San Diego industrial stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit (R9-2013-0064) condition that allows the Navy to assess and propose alternative testing parameters. This research (at the time it was conducted) was done for Naval Base San Diego by environmental toxicologists at the Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific).