Urban Watch Monitoring Program

Program Description:

This volunteer based program monitors storm drain outfalls for common urban pollutants like detergent, chlorine and ammonia-nitrogen. The program runs from June through the first significant rain - in which the program culminates with an event called “First Flush”. During First Flush volunteers collect samples at the Urban Watch storm drain outfalls to be tested for bacteria, nutrients and metals. (Please check out First Flush page for more information.)

The Urban Watch Program is an opportunity for the ‘detective’ in you to help find local sources of run-off entering our local streams and ocean while working in this program! Over the life of this program volunteers have found chlorine leaks, cooking oil spills and major detergent contributions discharging into streams and the ocean.

Urban Watch program participants work in teams to monitor water quality at 4-5 storm drains 1 week each month from June thru October. Urban Watch program volunteers run in-field chemical analysis on water collected from these stormdrains. Volunteer time commitment is attendance at formal training session, and approximately 4-8 hrs each month thru October.

CWC works directly with the public works department of each City and reports major findings back to them for action.

This program has been operating in Monterey since 1997, Pacific Grove since 1999, in Capitola since 2000, and Santa Cruz since 2001.

Please visit our "Current: Urban Watch" page for 2010 program information and training dates.