In August 2010, Humboldt Baykeeper used its 5 years of Citizen Monitoring data as the basis for recommending that the Regional Water Quality Control Board list six streams as impaired under the Clean Water Act due to extremely high levels of the pathogenic bacteria, E. coli. In addition, high fecal coliform levels have resulted in temporary closures of several local beaches by Humboldt County’s Ocean Monitoring Program.  Humboldt Baykeeper’s Citizen Monitoring Program is the only source of water quality data upstream from these beaches. Though we are still awaiting the Regional Board’s decision, the listing could result in better land use policies and funding for projects to reduce polluted runoff to these streams, which ultimately flows into Humboldt Bay and the ocean, putting residents and the oyster industry at risk.

In 2012, we hope to begin a project correlating our water monitoring results with field assessments to prioritize on-the-ground projects that can best improve water quality by reducing impervious surfaces, improve stormwater infiltration, and increase riparian vegetation to filter polluted runoff.