3.2.2 Sediment Total Organic Carbon 
Another measure of sediment condition is the percent Total Organic Carbon 
(TOC). In the NCCR II report (U.S. EPA 2004), values exceeding 5% TOC were ranked 
poor, values between 2% and 5% were ranked fair, and values less than 2% were 
ranked good. There was a distinct difference in the average value of TOC between 
sites in Washington and Oregon (means <2%) and sites in California, including San 
Francisco Bay (>4%) (Fig. 3.2.2, Appendix Table 3). West wide (excluding high marsh 
in San Francisco Bay), 2.9% of total estuarine intertidal area had values over 5% TOC. 
There was a similar distinction in the amount of intertidal area among states with high 
TOC values, with Washington and Oregon having <2% of area with values over 5% 
TOC, compared with >20% of area for California and San Francisco Bay. 
Figure 3.2.2. Percent sediment total organic carbon (TOC) for the 2002 West Coast 
Intertidal Assessment (mean ± 1 sd). 
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