Danielle Gonsman

Consultant

Danielle Gonsman Consultant

Ms. Danielle Gonsman is a highly experienced consultant with 23 years of practice specializing in stormwater monitoring, sediment investigations, analytical data management, project management, and quality assurance and reporting. She has supported some of the largest watershed monitoring efforts in Southern California, where her roles as project manager, quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) manager, and sample control officer have made her an essential contributor to meeting regulatory deadlines, producing defensible data, and supporting regional stormwater management strategies. Her ability to manage complex field logistics, coordinate among stakeholders, and translate field da...

Ms. Gonsman has expertise in coordinating and executing wet- and dry-weather monitoring events across a range of watershed programs, including the Lower Los Angeles River, San Gabriel River, Los Cerritos Channel, and the City of Long Beach nearshore waters for compliance with the Los Angeles Regional municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) NPDES permit requirements. She leads and supports field teams, manages monitoring logistics, and performs data validation and quality control of analytical data. Her responsibilities also include laboratory coordination, client communication, and preparation of detailed reports for submittal to regional water quality control boards. Her familiarity with storm-triggered sampling protocols, telemetry systems, and best management practice (BMP) performance evaluation strengthens her ability to deliver reliable, timely data to clients and regulators.

Ms. Gonsman supports sediment sampling and dredge material investigations, including major U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) projects in harbors and ports along the coasts of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties. Having served as site safety officer and sample control officer on numerous sediment coring projects, she is well versed in safety protocols, core logging, sample documentation, laboratory coordination, data review, and reporting.

Throughout her career, Ms. Gonsman has contributed to the development and implementation of integrated monitoring plans (IMPs), sampling and analysis plans, and quality assurance project plans, ensuring consistency across multi-agency programs and regulatory frameworks. Her technical leadership and meticulous attention to detail have supported successful compliance efforts for municipalities, counties, and government agencies throughout the Southern California Region.

Danielle Gonsman

Consultant

Environmental Monitoring

City of Long Beach Nearshore (Non-Port) Watershed IMP, Long Beach, California Manages monitoring, data evaluation, QA/QC, and reporting activities for compliance with the Los Angeles Regional municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) NPDES permit. Responsibilities include managing field crews; coordinating onsite sampling across estuarine, beach, and harbor areas; and ensuring adherence to sampling protocols. Directs comprehensive water and sediment sampling, toxicity testing, sediment chemical analyses, sediment quality objective (SQO) assessments, and evaluation of marine benthic infauna to assess ecological health. Provides quality control oversight to maintain the accuracy and integrity of analytical data supporting this stormwater quality program and regulatory reporting.

Implementation of the Los Cerritos Channel Watershed Coordinated Integrated Monitoring Program (CIMP), Los Angeles County, California Manages data collection and evaluation, QA/QC, and reporting tasks supporting compliance with the Los Angeles Regional MS4 NPDES permit. Coordinates wet- and dry-weather monitoring events and directs field crews in stormwater sampling and subsampling procedures. Performs detailed data quality control, interprets monitoring results, and contributes to annual reporting. Shares responsibility for the development of monitoring plans and standard operating procedures.

Implementation of the Lower Los Angeles River and Lower San Gabriel River CIMPs, Los Angeles County, California Supports the watershed monitoring programs through coordination and execution of wet- and dry-weather monitoring events, quality control of monitoring data, and final reporting to ensure compliance with the Los Angeles Regional MS4 NPDES permit. Shares responsibility for preparing and implementing monitoring plans and manages ongoing communication with clients and laboratories to ensure adherence to permit requirements.

Upper San Gabriel River Enhanced Watershed Management Program, Los Angeles County, California Participated as sample control officer and field lead, directing stormwater monitoring activities across multiple sites in support of Los Angeles Regional NPDES MS4 permit compliance under the Upper San Gabriel River CIMP. Was responsible for field preparation for wet- and dry-weather monitoring, including coordinating laboratories for sample analysis and preparing sampling containers and chain of custody documents.

Groundwater Monitoring

Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Groundwater Monitoring, Rincon Reservation, California Supports quarterly groundwater sampling across tribal lands for sustainable groundwater management and long-term resource planning. Responsible for data quality control to assess data integrity and qualify findings. Assists with field sampling, as needed, using low-flow bladder pumps to collect representative samples for laboratory analysis. Maintains compliance with regulatory standards and contributes to the protection of tribal water resources through rigorous data validation and reporting oversight.

NRDA For Oil Spills

Pipeline P00547 Oil Spill Incident, Huntington Beach and Los Alamitos, California Following an offshore oil spill, supported natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) and Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) teams as the command center lead by managing command center operations under OSPR and NRDA guidance. Responsibilities included coordinating with multiple government agencies for large-scale field monitoring efforts, field sampling preparation, support for field leads, sample control oversight, management and preparation of chain of custody documentation, laboratory coordination, sample documentation, and field data collection.

Sediment Investigation

Channel Deepening and Southwest Container Terminal Development, Port of Los Angeles, California Supported a USACE sediment quality assessment for proposed maintenance dredging and channel deepening. Participated in sediment collection using vibracore and van Veen grab techniques and supervised core processing. Prepared field documentation, maintained data integrity, and contributed to the technical report preparation for dredge material evaluation and placement.

Dana Point Harbor Environmental and Geotechnical Investigation, Dana Point, California Participated in a USACE sediment quality assessment supporting proposed maintenance dredging. Collected marine sediment using vibracore and van Veen grab, processed sediment cores, and maintained accurate sample tracking and documentation.

Dredge Material Evaluation for Newport Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement, Orange County, California Led sample control and data management in support of sediment sampling and analysis required for dredge permitting. Coordinated chemical and toxicity testing and accurate data documentation to support regulatory compliance.

Dredge Sediment Characterization in Federal Channels, Bays, and Harbors, Southern California Participated as site safety officer for vibracore sediment sampling to support USACE maintenance dredging and beach nourishment projects across Southern California harbors. Managed safety protocols for geotechnical and environmental investigations at Santa Barbara Harbor, Port Hueneme, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, and Channel Islands Harbor.

Elderberry Forebay, Castaic Lake Sediment Coring and Characterization for Dredge Design, Castaic, California Managed sample control tasks for the execution of a comprehensive sediment sampling program to support dredge design for a proposed project to remove accumulated sediments behind a dam. Developed sampling strategies and methodologies to collect vibracore samples from behind the dam, targeting key locations for the physical and chemical characterization of the accumulated sediments. Managed all aspects of field operations, ensuring data quality and regulatory compliance throughout the project.

Haynes Power Plant, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Long Beach, California Managed sample control tasks as part of a collaborative effort with the client and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to conduct vibracore sediment sampling and subsampling within the northern portion of the Haynes Generating Station intake channel. The high-quality core samples collected were processed in the field and transferred to the client for geotechnical logging and laboratory analysis. This effort supported the development of a sediment waste profile to inform future dredging and environmental management at the site.

Marina del Rey Harbor Environmental and Geotechnical Investigation Project, Marina Del Rey, California Managed sample control tasks and served as site safety and health officer in two phases of sediment sampling to evaluate sediment quality for planned USACE dredging operations. Managed safety protocols, sample control documentation, coordination with sediment testing with laboratories, and ensured timely data reporting to support environmental compliance requirements.

Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach Environmental Characterization of Dredge Material for an Ammunition Pier and Turning Basin, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Seal Beach, California Managed sample control tasks and land-based drilling logistics for sediment characterization prior to the construction of the new ammunition pier and turning basin at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. In addition to land-based drilling for onshore soil collection, vibracore sampling for offshore sediments was conducted in Anaheim Bay. Coordinated soil and sediment testing with laboratories, and conducted soil logging and sample documentation.

Port of Long Beach Deep Navigation Project, Long Beach, California Served as site safety officer for the USACE sediment quality assessment, supported offshore sediment sampling for channel maintenance, widening, and deepening. Confirmed adherence to safety protocols and regulatory requirements, and supervised sediment collection using vibracore techniques to ensure full compliance with health and safety protocols. Evaluated and provided sediment quality data to EPA to support evaluations for dredging, beach nourishment, unconfined sediment storage, and ocean disposal.

Site Characterization

Port of Los Angeles, Berths 121–131 Redevelopment Project, San Pedro, California Managed sample control and onshore rotary drilling and worked closely with the project director to develop and coordinate field sampling logistics for sediment characterization in support of a major terminal redevelopment. The sampling strategy included land-based drilling for onshore soils and vibracore sampling for offshore sediments adjacent to the terminal. The objective was to inform dredging, revetment, and construction design for accommodating 14,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container vessels as part of terminal modernization.

Stormwater Management

City of South Pasadena Stormwater Characterization Project, Pasadena, California Supported project management and analytical data reporting for stormwater sampling at a municipal discharge conveyance. Assisted with coordinating field activities, managing sample flow to the laboratory, and compiling data to support regulatory compliance and stormwater quality assessments.

Multiagency, Multiwatershed Project to Incorporate LID BMPs into Major Transportation, Los Angeles County, California Managed stormwater monitoring of low impact development (LID) BMPs in major transportation corridors of the Los Angeles River, Los Cerritos Channel, and Lower San Gabriel River watersheds for a state grant-funded (Proposition 84) project. The LID BMPs were implemented to reduce metals concentrations in stormwater runoff and to measure the effectiveness of the BMPs by monitoring the concentration of metals.

San Diego County As-Needed Water Quality Monitoring, San Diego, California Managed laboratory coordination, data review, and quality assurance for ongoing stormwater quality monitoring efforts under the County of San Diego’s As-Needed Water Quality Monitoring contract. Ensured data integrity through rigorous validation of analytical results, supported timely and accurate reporting across 28 task orders, and maintained compliance with regulatory standards for stormwater and watershed monitoring programs.

Water Quality Monitoring

Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Water Quality Monitoring, Rincon Reservation, California Manages data validation and quality assurance for all aspects of the Rincon Band’s comprehensive water quality monitoring program, including drinking water, groundwater, surface water, and algal sampling. Reviews analytical data and associated QA/QC results to assess accuracy, ensure regulatory compliance, and qualify findings for reporting. Produces quality control summaries for inclusion in quarterly monitoring reports and coordinates with laboratory partners to resolve data discrepancies. Supports the protection of tribal water resources through rigorous data oversight that informs sustainable management and long-term planning.

East Los Angeles Sustainable Median Stormwater Capture Project Evaluation, Los Angeles, California Managed the monitoring program developed for evaluation of the effectiveness of pollutant removal from stormwater treatment systems. Assisted the client in directing field operations for wet- and dry-weather monitoring events for the BMP stations, prepared work and safety plans, and assured compliance with environmental standards for BMP implementation. Provided data interpretation and evaluation to ensure the project objectives were fulfilled.

VSS BMPs and Low Flow Diversions of Storm Drains Discharging to San Pedro Bay Beaches, Long Beach, California Managed field monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs, including low flow diversions and vortex separation systems (VSS), in reducing bacteria loading to the Los Angeles River Estuary and San Pedro Bay beaches. Supported data collection to assess the reduction or elimination of dry-weather flows from storm drain discharges.

San Diego County As-Needed Water Quality Monitoring, San Diego, California Managed laboratory coordination, data review, and quality assurance for ongoing water quality monitoring efforts under the County of San Diego’s As-Needed Water Quality Monitoring contract. Ensured data integrity through rigorous validation of analytical results, supported timely and accurate reporting across 28 task orders, and maintained compliance with regulatory standards for stormwater and watershed monitoring programs.

Technical Writing

Los Cerritos Channel, Lower San Gabriel River, Lower Los Angeles River CIMPs, Los Angeles County, California Directs and contributes to composing technical documentation for final reporting to regional water quality control boards in support of MS4 NPDES permit compliance. Examines pollutant trend assessments, compiles analytical data for direct comparison to water quality-based effluent limitations, performs detailed quality control review of analytical and field monitoring data for regulatory submittals in alignment with MS4 permit requirements. Provides well-organized content to support pollutant source identification and stormwater management strategies.

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