“If you see a problem and feel that something should be done about it, and you look around and you see that no one else is doing anything – you’re elected.”
-Nick Carter, 1997 Goldman Prize winner, Zambia
Two years ago, neighbors across Contra Costa County saw a problem: there was no standardized method to test and share the water quality data in the County’s creeks. They decided to do something about it.
I joined a small group of volunteers began meeting monthly to share experience, methods and equipment, with the goal of standardizing volunteer monitoring throughout the county. This summer, The Watershed Project launched our monitoring program in 5 watersheds, using state protocols and quality assurance practices to make sure our data will be useful to multiple agencies as well as the volunteer groups involved.
This year, we celebrate the power of community members to collect scientific data and advocate for the health of our creeks. I believe that cultivating citizen scientists is the best way to make ecosystem monitoring and assessment more affordable, with the added benefit of educating communities about important watershed processes.
Help us reach our 20th Anniversary goal of $30,000 and support citizen science!
- Hired 4 water quality monitoring interns
- Began monthly monitoring at over 25 sites
- Completed our 1st season of First Flush stormwater monitoring
- Add sites with new partners
- Expand First Flush monitoring to include local students
- Attend River Rally in Olympic Valley, CA
We cannot do it alone! Make a tax-deductible donation today, and invest in cleaner creeks and watersheds!We invite you to join in in on the first Friday of the month from 9:30-11:30am to learn creek monitoring techniques! We move around Contra Costa County, so please email helen@thewatershedproject.org to find out where to find us next. You can also arrange to accompany one of our monitoring contractors on their monthly rounds in a watershed near you.
Thank you for your support of citizen science and healthier watersheds!
In gratitude,
Helen Fitanides
Wild Shorelines Manager
P.S. Please make your tax-deductible gift today! Every dollar counts toward supporting our programs and returning natural function to our watersheds! Thank you!
