Our programs involve scientists, boaters, fishermen, birdwatchers, students, and other concerned citizens in the important work of protecting and enhancing water quality for the long-term health and enjoyment of our shared community. Our diverse supporters and volunteers provide us with a wide range of tools to use in tackling the health of our communities' waters.
Simply put, we work for clean water, which is essential for happy and healthy populations. Clean water supports healthier fisheries, which in turn support healthy bird and wildlife populations. For the human community around the bay and coast, this means more lucrative fisheries, as well as world-class birdwatching, bird hunting, and clean water for recreating, including boating, surfing, diving, and swimming. Our work requires the participation and commitment of our community.
Our Water Monitoring Program brings together our volunteers, local agencies, other non-profit groups, and local businesses in monitoring the health of local streams. Our dedicated Citizen Monitors, many of whom have been with us since 2005, are at the heart of this program. The majority are scientists with expertise in hydrology, geology, ecology, and biology. Many sites have been monitored by the same volunteers for years, and they have helped improve our methods through thoughtful participation.
Consultants at Pacific Watershed Associates have also contributed technical expertise, from creating maps and building our database to improving methods of collecting and interpreting data. The City of Eureka's Stormwater Division has partnered with us throughout the development of the program. Staff at the cities of Arcata and Eureka, as well as Humboldt County Public Works, provide mapping information and site-specific knowledge. Salmon Forever and the State Water Board's Clean Water Team have loaned equipment. Humboldt County's Department of Environmental Health Ocean Monitoring Program, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, and all of the previously-mentioned partners provide valuable input and technical expertise. North Coast Laboratories analyzes our samples, provides technical expertise, and has been graciously flexible over the years, working weekends when the timing of rainstorms requires it.
Humboldt Baykeeper was launched in October 2004 to safeguard coastal resources for the health, enjoyment, and economic strength of the Humboldt Bay community through education, scientific research, and enforcement of laws to fight pollution. As a member of the international Waterkeeper Alliance, we are a grassroots advocacy organization that works to ensure fishable, swimmable, and drinkable waterways.
