Urban Watch

 

storm drain

The Coastal Watershed Council’s Monterey Bay Urban Watch Program helps to answer questions about what kinds of urban runoff pollution are entering our storm drains, creeks and streams, and the Monterey Bay during the dry season.

During the Urban Watch (UW) program, volunteers perform in-field analysis on flows from five storm drain outfalls looking for detections of some of our most common “urban pollutants” like Detergents, Chlorine, Copper, Ammonia-Nitrogen, & turbidity, and they will also collect monthly samples for bacteria analysis

Volunteers needed:
The Urban Watch Program is comprised of community volunteers who monitor storm drains that are emptying into waterways and the Sanctuary. Volunteers are trained to analyze water samples and collect samples for lab analysis using the Urban Watch Water Quality Monitoring Kit. Volunteers work in teams of three or more and conduct weekly monitoring during the dry weather season, July-November. No chemistry background or prior monitoring experience is needed to participate.

For every month, each team of volunteers is assigned one week within which they will monitor on two separate occasions; dedicating approximately 8 hours per month (~4hrs each trip). The volunteers collect and process samples from designated storm drain outfalls and then return to the same sampling sites a second time within their assigned ‘week’ to perform the tests again. This provides comparative data for learning more about when contaminants are being discharged into storm drain systems. Volunteers ‘self-schedule’ within their assigned week.

During the “Urban Watch” period, volunteers perform analysis for Detergents, Chlorine, Copper, Ammonia-Nitrogen, as well as basic conditions such as turbidity, conductivity, pH, water temperature, water color and odor etc., and then they will collect monthly samples for bacteria analysis at a laboratory.

This program is suitable for all adults & children over 14 years of age with parent participation.

To get involved, please complete this volunteer application, give us call at: 831-464-9200 or contact us via email at: djchirco@coastalws.org.