Let's find out if these are working
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary hosts our local First Flush program, and they’re recruiting! First Flush is the water quality testing that happens when the first rain hits–which means you have to be ready to get called out of bed at 3 a.m. or whenever it rains hard enough. But that’s half the fun!
The Otter Project staff joined the team last year–and it actually happened at a reasonable hour (I think it was 9 pm) on a weekend! We’ll be out in the muck again this year, so I hope you’ll consider joining us. Here is the information from Lisa at the Sanctuary:
“Are you interested in helping assess the pollutants entering the Sanctuary with the season’s first rain? If so, the First Flush Program is seeking volunteers!
Each year, the first rain event of the season washes urban pollutants off of the streets and into storm drains, eventually entering the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Are you interested in helping assess the pollutants entering the Sanctuary with the season’s first rain? If so, we need your help to collect water samples from storm drain outfalls in San Mateo County, Santa Cruz, Capitola, Pajaro, Seaside, Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Carmel-by-the-Sea during the first major rain of the season. To learn more, please attend a classroom and field training.
Classroom trainings:
- Santa Cruz County residents: Wednesday, September 16th, 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Simpkins Family Swim Center, 979 17th Ave, Santa Cruz
- Monterey County residents: Thursday, September 17th, 6:00pm to 9:00pm at the Monterey Bay Sanctuary office, 299 Foam Street in Monterey
Field Training/Dry Run:
- Saturday, September 19th in both Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties.
- Sunday, September 20th for San Mateo County Residents – 9:00am to 12:00pm at Moss Beach Ranch (RSVP for directions)
For more information or to volunteer in Monterey County contact Lisa Emanuelson at: Lisa.Emanuelson@noaa.gov or 831-647-4227.
To volunteer in Santa Cruz County, contact the Debie Chirco-Macdonald at the Coastal Watershed Council at: volunteer@coastalws.org or 831-464-9200.
To volunteer in San Mateo County, contact Carolann Towe at: carolann@watershedfoundation.net or 415-860-2900.”
Sea Otter Scoop 