Coastkeeper Announces 2011 Water Quality Monitoring Program Schedule
Volunteers provide essential service in maintaining water quality in the county
SAN DIEGO, Calif. —San Diego Coastkeeper, San Diego’s largest professional environmental organization working to protect inland and coastal waters, announces its 2011 Water Quality Monitoring Program schedule. Coastkeeper’s monthly watershed monitoring program is an essential component in establishing water quality trends in the county’s creeks and rivers. The data collected informs government decision making regarding local water bodies. Every other month, the program also trains new volunteers on scientifically sound collection techniques to gather the water samples that the Coastkeeper lab tests to get its data.
“Coastkeeper’s Water Quality Monitoring Program continues to grow in strength, and we have an increased number of returning volunteers each year,” said Coastkeeper Interim Executive Director Gabriel Solmer. “Our trained volunteers provide data that is crucial to determining water quality and making better decisions regarding San Diego’s water.”
Coastkeeper encourages San Diego County residents to get involved in environmental matters to better understand their local ecosystem and how their daily decisions impact the environment. The 2011 calendar offers many opportunities to volunteer with training provided every other month beginning January 15. During training, volunteers learn about the importance of San Diego’s watersheds and of maintaining each watershed’s ecological capabilities.
The schedule for 2011 follows:
January 15: New volunteer training at 8:30 a.m. Field session begins at 11 a.m.
February 12: No training. Field session begins at 9 a.m.
March 19: New volunteer training at 8:30 a.m. Field session begins at 11 a.m.
April 16: No training. Field session begins at 9 a.m.
May 21: New volunteer training at 8:30 a.m. Field session begins at 11 a.m.
June 11: No training. Field session begins at 9 a.m.
July 16: New volunteer training at 8:30 a.m. Field session begins at 11 a.m.
August 20: No training. Field session begins at 9 a.m.
September 10: New volunteer training at 8:30 a.m. Field session begins at 11 a.m.
October 15: No training. Field session begins at 9 a.m.
November 19: New volunteer training at 8:30 a.m. Field session begins at 11 a.m.
December 17: No training. Field session begins at 9 a.m.
The results from monitoring events, along with watershed information and locations of monitoring sites, are posted online. San Diego Coastkeeper also posts current beach water quality status on its site, along with the historic beach water quality data. To begin volunteering, individuals can visit www.sdcoastkeeper.org or send an email to Dylan Edwards, dylan@sdcoastkeeper.org.
About San Diego Coastkeeper
Founded in 1995, San Diego Coastkeeper protects the region’s inland and coastal waters for the communities and wildlife that depend on them by blending education, community empowerment and advocacy. Visit us online at http://www.sdcoastkeeper.org. |
