By Jeff Embleton If you look closely into the depths of the estuaries around the Bay, you may spot a Dungeness Crab resting near the sea floor. Dungeness Crabs make temporary homes in our watershed. They use the blend of salt and fresh water to grow into the large and grumpy-looking water dwellers that many people know and love (to eat). Dungeness Crabs generate tens of millions of dollars for their value as food for humans, but they also play an important role in the marine food chain. The Latin name Cancer magister means "chief crab." Physical Appearance These crabs' claws make …
Ebb & Flow
The Newsletter of The Watershed Project
Grow (and Eat) Your Own Oysters | A Conversation with a Pickleweed Point Oyster Farmer
The Watershed Project's Executive Director Linda Hunter recently made a trip out to Tomales Bay to visit our newest fiscally sponsored project: The Pickleweed Point Community Oyster Farm, directed by local Aquaculturist Luc Chamberland. Her interview with Luc gives some great insight into the exciting world below bay waters. Linda Hunter: Hi Luc, what's the community oyster farm all about? Luc Chamberland: The community oyster farm is about getting community members involved in growing oysters in Tomales Bay so they can better understand and embrace the importance of water quality. …
Richmond Youth Set Sail on the Bay | Green Academy Kicks Off Second Summer
By Jeff Embleton The morning sun reflects off the calm tidal waters of the Bay outside Redwood City and a boat engine kicks to life. It is a peaceful moment in the morning, and then dozens of voices can be heard approaching the dock. It is the boisterous and excited sound of youth from The Green Academy. This is the second year of The Watershed Project's Green Academy, and today the youth are on a field trip to Redwood City to take a boat ride aboard the Robert G. Brownlee. Marine camp coordinator Hayley Huffman describes the field trip as one that provides hands-on experience with …
Grass Be Gone | The Quick and Easy Way to Save Water and Money
By Aniko Drlik-Muehleck California is a dry place-- in the Bay Area, we go for months without precipitation. But despite this fact, Bay Area residential landscapes have something in common with wetter parts of the country: the lawn. It's lush, green, and incredibly water-intensive. During our extensive dry season, lawns either guzzle hundreds of gallons of water per day or turn brown. If you're unsatisfied with your water bill, tired of struggling against your lawn's inevitable wilting, or simply interested in preserving our precious water supply for more pressing uses, this summer is …
What’s in Your Watershed? | The Regal Red-tailed Hawk
By Joanna Hoffman If you keep an eye on the clouds, you're bound to see a Red-tailed hawk soaring and screeching across the Bay's blue skies. Red-tailed hawks are the most common member of the genus Buteo found in North America. They seek out open fields, perch on telephones poles, and wait patiently to strike at unsuspecting rodents. Over time, Red-tailed hawks have evolved to inhabit a wider range of territories. They are found in human environments, tropical rainforests, and out in the middle of the plains. Wherever a squirrel, mouse, or other juicy morsel resides, a Red-tailed …
What’s in Your Watershed? | Wonderful Wildflowers
By Joanna Hoffman Wildflowers are abundant in California from February through July. Flowers bloom at different times during these months. They first appear in the desert, shocking the brown and barren landscape with vibrancy and life. Later on towards June and July, wildflowers grace the Sierras with yellow, red and blue in a melange of beauty and overpowering scent. Wildflowers grow in the cracks of sidewalks all over the Bay Area, shoot up across marshlands and beaches, and appear in almost any place they find an opportunity to access some water, soil, sun, and means of …
What’s in Your Watershed? | The Dancing Western Grebe
By Andrew LaBar The San Francisco Bay Area is a diverse and vibrant community. Not only is it home to nearly seven million brilliant and unique individuals, but it also supports an equally impressive array of wildlife. From birds to butterflies to cougars to deer, many animals are permanent residents of our bay shorelines and rich watersheds. As humans, we are lucky to live in a place where bird calls can be heard over car horns, where we can spend our Saturdays at a local park, losing track of time as we watch a Great Blue Heron silently stalk its prey. We celebrate these animals for …
What’s in Your Watershed? | Red-coated Harbor Seals
By Diana Dunn Deep greens envelop hillsides and wildflowers splash vibrant colors across the blooming Bay Area landscape. The revitalizing powers of spring are not limited to dry land, however. Dramatic transformations are occurring in our local marine environment as well; just consider the harbor seals. March is a hectic month for these captivating pinnipeds. It marks the beginning of pupping season in the Bay Area, which is when female harbor seals give birth. Body Structure and Locomotion Harbor seals are often confused with their thunderous cousin, the sea lion. One …