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Christopher Bautista

Christopher Bautista
Project Scientist

Christopher Bautista

Project Scientist

Mr. Christopher Bautista is a project scientist with more than 15 years of hands-on experience managing and executing environmental monitoring projects across Southern California. He has built a strong track record leading stormwater and water quality monitoring programs, with a particular focus on municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) NPDES compliance and sediment investigations. Mr. Bautista consistently takes on leadership roles in the field—coordinating crews, programming and maintaining remote telemetry systems, and ensuring sampling integrity across complex watershed and marine environments.

In his role supporting municipal and countywide coordinated integrated monito...

Mr. Christopher Bautista is a project scientist with more than 15 years of hands-on experience managing and executing environmental monitoring projects across Southern California. He has built a strong track record leading stormwater and water quality monitoring programs, with a particular focus on municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) NPDES compliance and sediment investigations. Mr. Bautista consistently takes on leadership roles in the field—coordinating crews, programming and maintaining remote telemetry systems, and ensuring sampling integrity across complex watershed and marine environments.

In his role supporting municipal and countywide coordinated integrated monitoring programs (CIMPs), Mr. Bautista has overseen wet- and dry-weather sampling for the Lower Los Angeles River, San Gabriel River, Los Cerritos Channel, and the Long Beach Nearshore watersheds. He manages all aspects of field deployment, including storm response mobilization, quality control of all hydrological data, and equipment calibration. His expertise in electronic instrumentation and telemetry systems has improved sampling reliability and expanded site coverage for stormwater monitoring operations. He combines his knowledge from the field and programming to use AppSheet to design and deploy custom applications for field data collection and reporting. With a background in operations and a strong grasp of process optimization, he leverages AppSheet’s no-code platform to build efficient, user-friendly applications tailored to the needs of field teams.

Mr. Bautista also brings critical experience in sediment characterization and marine science. He has supported U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) dredge sampling efforts in harbors across California, operating vibracore equipment and leading safety briefings in accordance with EM 385-1-1 protocols. His background includes emergency response work on oil spill events and hands-on marine research involving aquaculture and species recovery. Throughout his career, Mr. Bautista has demonstrated a high level of technical skill, safety compliance, and leadership in field-based environmental science.

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Water Quality Monitoring

East Los Angeles Sustainable Median Stormwater Capture Project Evaluation, Los Angeles, California Managed field operations in support of a monitoring program developed for evaluating the effectiveness of pollutant removal from stormwater treatment systems. Assisted in directing and conducting wet- and dry-weather monitoring events for the best management practice (BMP) stations and assured compliance with environmental standards for BMP implementation. Provided flow data evaluation and assisted with final reporting to meet project objectives.
San Diego County As-Needed Water Quality Monitoring, San Diego, California Managed field operations for countywide water quality monitoring during wet- and dry-weather events. Programmed and calibrated monitoring equipment, conducted surface water sampling across multiple sites, and ensured regulatory compliance. Maintained comprehensive safety documentation, including incident reports, inspection records, and training logs, to support program compliance and operational readiness.
Implementation of Lower Los Angeles River and Lower San Gabriel River CIMPs, Los Angeles County, California Manages wet- and dry-weather monitoring to support compliance with the Regional MS4 NPDES permit requirements and total maximum daily load (TMDL) studies. Conducts wet- and dry-weather sampling, manages field crews, performs non-stormwater outfall investigations, and maintains monitoring equipment and stations to ensure reliable, high-quality data collection. Implements health and safety protocols in the field and utilizes advanced storm control systems with remote telemetry to enhance sampling efficiency during storm events. Performs hydrological data validation and reporting for regulatory compliance.
Upper San Gabriel River Enhanced Watershed Management Program, Los Angeles County, California Manages daily field operations across multiple sites in support of MS4 NPDES permit compliance under the Upper San Gabriel River CIMP. Leads wet- and dry-weather sampling events, programs and maintains automated samplers and field equipment, and ensures adherence to permit protocols. Assists with field data quality control review and data reporting.
Implementation of Los Cerritos Channel Watershed CIMP, Los Angeles County, California Manages field operations in support of water quality management by coordinating field crews for wet- and dry-weather stormwater monitoring and non-stormwater outfall investigations. Responsible for daily field logistics, the programing and maintenance of telemetry systems for remote monitoring, and ensuring accurate data collection and equipment performance. Also conducts hydrological data quality control reviews, contributes to report preparation, and supports timely data submission to meet regulatory deadlines necessary to show compliance with water quality standards.
Implementation of the City of Long Beach Nearshore (Non-Port) Watershed Integrated Monitoring Program (IMP), Long Beach, California Manages monitoring activities necessary to comply with the MS4 NPDES stormwater permit requirements. Responsibilities include leading field crews in conducting wet- and dry-weather sampling across estuarine, beach, and harbor areas; coordinating field logistics; ensuring adherence to sampling protocols; and maintaining data integrity in support of regulatory reporting and environmental assessment objectives. Also performs quality control reviews and summarizes hydrology and other field data for MS4 permit compliance reporting.
Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Drinking Water Monitoring, Rincon Reservation, California Participates in monthly drinking water sampling for chlorine, total coliforms, and E. coli across multiple distribution systems, including faucets, fire hydrants, and quick-connect stations. Prepares equipment, ensures proper sampling techniques, and supports timely data reporting to comply with regulatory standards.
Miramar Reservoir Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring System Support, San Diego, California Manages quarterly maintenance of a real-time water quality monitoring system in coordination with the prime contractor for the City of San Diego Public Works Department. Recovers and redeploys instrumented moorings from a small boat, cleans and replaces sensors, and verifies proper system functionality. Contributes to the collection of continuous environmental data used by the Miramar Water Treatment Plant to guide operational decisions and maintain regulatory compliance for the City’s potable water supply.
Calleguas Creek Watershed TMDL Water Quality Monitoring Program, Ventura County, California Conducted quarterly water quality monitoring at more than 30 sites throughout the Calleguas Creek Watershed. Responsibilities included in situ water quality and stream flow measurements and sample collection in support of TMDL implementation to ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act.

Groundwater Monitoring

Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Groundwater Monitoring, Rincon Reservation, California Participates in groundwater sampling across tribal lands to support ongoing water quality monitoring efforts. Conducts quarterly sampling using low-flow bladder pumps to collect representative samples for laboratory analysis, ensuring proper documentation and timely delivery with completed chains of custody. Provides high-quality data to inform sustainable groundwater management and long-term resource planning, while supporting the environmental health of the tribal water resources.

Marine Science

Conservation and Management Efforts of the White Abalone, San Pedro, California Assisted in the spawning and rearing of white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni) for repopulation efforts off the coast of southern California.
Aquaculture of the Giant Sea Bass, San Pedro, California Designed and maintained systems used in the successful larval rearing of giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas). Maintained life support systems and automated feeding cultures.

NRDA For Oil Spills

Pipeline P00547 Oil Spill Incident, Huntington Beach, California Supported spill response operations following an offshore oil pipeline rupture. Assisted with coordinating logistics, conducting beach surveys, collecting biological specimens, and performing command center operations for documentation and sample handling.

PFAS

Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians PFAS Monitoring, Rincon Reservation, California Conducts sampling for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at six groundwater production wells. Ensures ultra-clean sampling conditions critical for trace-level analyses to support compliance with the Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule necessary for safeguarding the environmental health of tribal water resources and contributing valuable data for sustainable groundwater management planning.

Sediment Investigation

Dredge Material Evaluation for Newport Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement, Orange County, California Managed sediment sampling required for dredging and disposal/reuse permitting. Assisted in vibracore collection, core processing, and data documentation to support evaluation against chemical and toxicity requirements.
Sediment Quality and Dredge Program Support, Newport Beach, California Served as health and safety officer for a USACE sediment quality assessment supporting proposed maintenance dredging. Led daily safety briefings and watched over core collection and processing to ensure full compliance with health and safety protocols.
Port of Long Beach Deep Navigation Project, California Supported offshore sediment sampling for channel maintenance and dredging activities. Operated support vessel along with vibracore and sediment grab equipment, while ensuring compliance with sampling protocols and regulatory requirements. This project provided sediment quality data to EPA and other regulatory agencies to support evaluations for dredging, beach nourishment, unconfined sediment storage, and ocean disposal.
Offshore Sand Borrow Site Investigation, Long Beach, California Directed offshore sediment sampling operations for a sand characterization study supporting future wind energy infrastructure development. Supervised deck operations and coordinated core collection using a vibracore and van Veen grab. Ensured adherence to sampling protocols, managed daily field logistics, and supported reporting efforts for regulatory evaluation and resource planning.
Dredge Sediment Characterization in Federal Channels and Offshore Areas, Southern California Supported vibracore sediment sampling for USACE maintenance dredging and beach nourishment projects across Southern California ports and harbors from Morro Bay to the Mexican Border. Led offshore sediment sampling investigations to identify suitable sand borrow sites, while ensuring efficient execution, data integrity, and strict health and safety compliance. Coordinated logistics for sample collection and processing and ensured timely data reporting to meet environmental permitting requirements.

Surface Water Monitoring

Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Surface Water Monitoring, Rincon Reservation, California Participates in surface water sampling at seven sites across tribal lands to support ongoing water quality monitoring efforts. Conducts quarterly sampling for laboratory analysis, ensuring proper documentation and timely delivery with completed custody chains. Delivers reliable data for sustainable surface water management and long-term resource planning, ensuring the environmental health of the tribal water resources.
Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Algal Monitoring, Rincon Reservation, California Participates in monthly algal sampling from a surface water site on tribal lands to support ongoing water quality monitoring efforts by collecting representative samples for laboratory analysis, while ensuring proper documentation and timely delivery with completed chains of custody. Provides high-quality data for sustainable surface water management and long-term resource planning, while supporting the environmental health of the tribal water resources.
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