Newsletter of the Coastal Watershed Council Winter 2006-2007

Year End Wrap-UP! 2006 managing the contracts and opera-

tions for the organization, and working
highlight the incredible individuals that
make up the CWC team:
By Tamara Doan
on our Agricultural Water Quality Train-

T hank you all for your support of Debie Chirco-Macdonald started with
ing grant, there were others here hard
the Coastal Watershed Council. CWC as a Watsonville Sloughs volunteer
at work on all different kinds of CWC
The close of this calendar year marks in 1999. She came on as a paid helper in
monitoring efforts across the Monterey
ten years of operation for this organiza- 2002 and became a Clean Streams Co-
Bay—most of which you’ll find de-
tion. That’s ten straight years of citizens scribed in this year-end newsletter.
ordinator in 2003. Debie rose to new
monitoring their local watersheds and heights in 2006, coordinating the spring
storm drains and of sharing that infor- Although we’d love to, we can’t main- Snapshot Day effort for CWC, manag-
mation with all. tain a large full time staff to accomplish ing our University Internship Program,
our work, we’re a lean-mean-fighting- monitoring on the ALBA ranch; work-
I’ve been at CWC for six and half years machine here at CWC and we get our ing with volunteers in Aptos, Branci-
now, starting out as an Urban Watch vol- work done by the efforts of just a few
Continued on page 2...
unteer coordinator in July of 2000 and dedicated folks.
now as the Director of Programs.
So I’d like to
And while I spent most of my time in take a minute to

BWET • GO! Program

By Debie Chirco-Macdonald

C WC recently received grant funding

from the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
watershed
the
but
connection
b e t w e e n
which is providing a hands-on outdoor themselves, the
educational program to 4th, 5th and 6th environment and
grade students at Valencia Elementary the ocean.
School in Aptos. During the school culminate at
The Bay Watershed Educational year students the school year end with a
Training Program (BWET) is the are engaging in Watershed Festival during Open House
name of the grant awarded to the numerous activities (all which meet the night and will allow the students to
Coastal Watershed Council in June Curriculum Standards for California demonstrate the knowledge gained
2006. In our “Get Outdoors!” Program Public Schools) such as: learning to from the program as well as projects
(dubbed the “GO!” Program), students observe their surroundings, both at worked on during the year. Look for
engage in water quality monitoring on the creek and at the school’s Nature notices on the Watershed Festival in
Valencia Creek, a tributary to Aptos Center; recording their observations in May 2007.
Creek, located directly next to Valencia field books; learning to use scientific
School. instruments; recording data; learning Funds from this program will also help
about the connectivity between people, support science education teacher,
Program Coordinator, Debie Chirco- watershed health and the ocean; Cathy Guiley at Valencia and provide
Macdonald and Science Teacher, Cathy learning to identify native and non- important supplies and curriculum for
Guiley, are working with 8 science native species in the riparian corridor; the school. This will assure the GO!
classes during the school year and and assisting in creek habitat cleanups. Program continues in future years.
teaching students not only about water
quality monitoring and their local The 2006-2007 GO! Program will

Page 
 Urban Watch-First Flush Storm drain runoff is one of the major Continued from page 1...

sources of pollution in the Monterey forte and Harkins Slough; and writing
Program Bay Sanctuary, and the first rain of the and leading the new BWET GO! Pro-
By Tamara Myers season flushes high concentrations gram in Valencia Elementary School in
of accumulated buildup from our the Aptos watershed (Please Check out
Urban Watch

2
streets. This data is not collected by her summary on page 1 for more infor-
006 completed the 10th year of the
any other agency and is available to mation about this program); and work-
Urban Watch Monitoring Program.
local governments to review and act ing directly with me to keep all the little
The program started in 1997 as a
on the results. details under control. Thank you Debie
partnership between CWC, the City
from the bottom of my heart–I couldn’t
of Monterey and the Monterey Bay This year’s event was a memorable do this without you!
National Marine Sanctuary. This year occasion! We had two unusual things
31 volunteers monitored storm drains happen, as each city ended up doing Colleen Sutter joined CWC as a
in Capitola, Monterey, and Pacific First Flush on different days because UCSC intern in Winter ‘06 and worked
Grove. As the Program Coordinator I of local rainfall differences, and we on the ALBA monitoring program with
worked with the Capitola volunteers, were able to at least begin monitoring Debie. After her internship she stayed
while Bridget Hoover and Maris in the daylight. Yippee!!! This was on as a volunteer to prepare new photos
Sidenstecker continued their work in in direct contrast to past years when and direction sheets for the volunteers
Pacific Grove and Monterey. volunteers have monitored in the wee of Snapshot Day 06. We were happy to
hours of the morning. have her join us to lead the Photo moni-
Volunteers work throughout the
toring effort, and assist in the Sediment
dry season to monitor for common Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz Load Analysis field work for the SC-
pollutants such as detergents, chlorine, deployed on October 4, Capitola CRCD’s Rural Roads Program. Debie
copper, and phosphates, and collect on November 2, and Monterey and & I look forward to having her around
data on pH, conductivity, turbidity, Pacific Grove on November 3 and for some time!
temperature, color, and odor. Samples 9. A total of 25 sites were monitored
are analyzed monthly for bacteria and by eager volunteers who didn’t mind Tamara Myers started with CWC as a
nutrients. being on call at all hours of the day volunteer in the Santa Cruz County Ur-
and night. Bridget Hoover is still ban Watch-First Flush program work-
2006 program results are still being
wading through the First Flush ing in the Live Oaks area in 2005. She
analyzed, so check our web site
results, so expect results from the transitioned nicely into our Volunteer
in January for the annual reports,
event sometime next year. Coordinator for the 2006 Capitola Ur-
including a 10 year summary for
ban Watch Program.
Monterey. Recruitment for the 2007 And I cannot speak about CWC with-
The success of the Urban Watch Urban Watch Program in out bringing to everyone’s attention the
Program is due in large part to the Capitola, Monterey, and unending contributions of the CWC
dedication, concern, and enthusiasm Pacific Grove will begin Board of Directors. Please stand up and
of our volunteers. The most rewarding in April. Please let us applaud Kirsten Liske, Josh Fodor,
part, aside from the wonderful sense know if you’re interested Ron Duncan, Bruce Arthur, Chris-
of community created with our teams, in participating! Contact tine Reyes, and Bryan Largay. I don’t
was that while we were conducting our urbanwatch@coastalws.org
in-field lab, people walking by would have enough space to tell you about the
ask us about the quality of water in many ways that they have all kept this
the creek. Hearing their concern - and organization ‘alive’ with their dedica-
PGE - AgWater Quality Training
their relief- when we told them about tion. Together they have donated hun-
the program gave me a sense of doing Program
dreds of volunteer hours, and without
something good. I was happy to see By Tamara Doan
them we literally wouldn’t be here.
how many others share my concern
In 2005 CWC was awarded a PGE-
for the impact our lifestyles may have
on the health of the Monterey Bay. SEP Grant from the Community My sincere thanks to all of these
Foundation for Monterey County. In great individuals for making
First Flush 2006 CWC laid the framework for this CWC possible.
The Urban Watch Program ended Agricultural Water Quality Training
Tamara.
with the 7th annual First Flush Program, and in October we hosted
event, wherein 71 volunteers sloshed a two-day “Train-the-Trainers” style
through the first significant rain of the workshop with our outreach partners we will have the manual and program
season to measure pH, conductivity, in the area. As we end the year, CWC materials translated to Spanish before
transparency, and temperature, and is building the training manual and this the public Grower workshops. Look
collect water samples for lab analysis for Workshop and On-Farm training
winter we will be building a ‘book’
of metals, nutrients, oils and grease,
suspended sediment, and bacteria. (some new skills for CWC!). As well, notices in the spring of 2007.

Page 
CWC’s Partner Program Updates
CLEAN STREAMS – HARKINS Slough Program anytime. ALBA
SLOUGH If interested please contact Debie The Coastal Watershed Council
In partnership with the Open Chirco-Macdonald by phone at 464- will once again be working with the
Space Alliance (OSA), the Coastal 9200 or e-mail at: Agricultural Land Based Training
Watershed Council has been working volunteer@coastalws.org Association (ALBA) to conduct winter
with community volunteers to conduct water quality monitoring on Carneros
our Clean Streams Water Quality RURAL ROAD EROSION CON- Creek in the upper Elkhorn Slough
Monitoring Program along Harkins TROL ASSISTANCE Watershed.
Slough in Watsonville. This program PROGRAM This program is being conducted on
started in June 2006 and will run thru This fall CWC completed its third ALBA’s 295 acre ‘Triple-M Ranch’
June 2007. year of Photo Documentation for the situated off Hall Road in Los Lomas.
Santa Cruz Resource Conservation The monitoring project will help
In this program volunteers have District’s (SCCRCD) Rural Road Ero-
been collecting monthly water Rebecca Thistlethwaite, ALBA’s
sion Control Assistance Program and Director of Programs for the Ranch,
added Sediment Load Assessment. to establish baseline water quality
conditions on Carneros Creek as it
Santa Cruz County’s mountainous and flows thru their property. This data
unstable geology contribute to erosion is being collected in preparation for
and sedimentation of water bodies. a large wetland restoration project
Poorly designed and inadequately currently under design.
maintained roads add to this problem,
as each rainy season flushes more This will be the third winter that
sediment off road surfaces into nearby CWC has
freshwater bodies. Over time, creeks worked with
and streams become more polluted ALBA on
Tamara Doan shows Harkins Slough volunteers how to collect
water samples during the program training in July 06. and less inhabitable for native fauna, this project
including threatened fish populations. and this
samples and performing water quality season CWC
monitoring at 3 sites on Harkins With funding from the State Water will also
Slough. This is a wonderful program Quality Control Board the program be training
for anyone who loves the beauty of helps private road owners repair and ALBA staff
the sloughs and especially those who improve their roads. This year projects to monitor
love bird watching, as we monitor in a were completed on seven roads in the – so that
premier winter ‘flyway’ location. San Lorenzo River, Soquel Creek and they can Colleen Sutter working in the Triple-M marsh!

Aptos Creek watersheds. Next year run out and catch some of the peak
There are hundreds of varieties
the program will also take place in the storm events. Anyone interested
of birds to be seen there while
Lower Pajaro River watersheds. For in helping out on this program can
monitoring...all manner of gull to
more information about the program contact Debie at CWC. To learn
marsh sparrows and the stunning
contact Ezra Neale at the SCCRCD more about ALBA, please go to their
singers—the Warbling Vireos. As
(831) 464-2950. web site at: www.albafarmers.org
well, you might see Pelicans and the
many faces of the Egret family, Ruddy
CWC Received an $18,000 award from Hewlett Packard in 2006!
Ducks and Buffelhead, or the majestic This grant provides Wireless and Mobile Computing to CWC
Red Tail Hawks and the Peregrine
Falcons...all to be seen soaring, Agricultural Water Quality Outreach Assistance Program
feeding, resting and swimming about Under additional funding from the RCD of Monterey County, CWC is
in the slough.
available to assist growers in the Northern Monterey County in any way
The Program could use a few more with relation to Water Quality on their farms, Farm Water Quality Plans
hands, and volunteers are welcome or planning. Please contact Tamara Doan, 831-464-9200 or
to join the Clean Streams Harkins tcdoan@coastalws.org for more information.
Page 
 Non-Profit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #200
Santa Cruz, CA

PO Box 1459
Santa Cruz, CA 95061
Phone: 831-464-9200
Fax: 831-464-9214
www.coastal-watershed.org
volunteer@coastalws.org

T he mission of the Coastal

Watershed Council is to
preserve and protect coastal
watersheds through community
stewardship, education, and
monitoring. With your support,
we continue our programs to
keep the water in our streams
and ocean clean for everyone.
Please renew your membership
or donate today!

Snapshot Day ‘06 Summary

By Bridget Hoover
Snapshot Day is a joint effort between the Coming Attractions
Monterey Bay Sanctuary Citizen Watershed
Monitoring Network (Network) and the
Coastal Watershed Council; where CWC
coordinates the event in San Mateo and Santa January May
Cruz counties and the Network coordinates • Volunteer Appreciation Party • 8th Annual Snapshot Day
Monterey County, south to Morro Bay.
January 21st Saturday, May 5, 2007
In 2006, 176 volunteers monitored 187
sites, 24 more sites than in 2005. As in the Live Oak Grange, Live Oak • Urban Watch Trainings
past events, results show that the majority February - April Capitola 9:30 am – 1:30 pm
of sites met water quality objectives
(WQO) for cold water fish habitat. One • Volunteer Continuing Capitola Community Room
hundred and one sites or 54% (53% in Education - “Water Tours”
2005) had no exceedences of the WQO Monterey & Pacific Grove
• PGE Workshops
for any of the parameters measured. 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm
April
As in previous years, E. coli (bacteria from MBNMS Offices:
warm-blooded animals) and orthophosphate • 2007 Snapshot Day Trainings
299 Foam Street, Monterey
were the parameters analyzed in the lab San Mateo County:
that most commonly exceeded their water June
quality objectives. The E. coli WQO April 15, 2007
• GO! Watershed Festival at
was exceeded at 18% (16% in 2005) of San Gregorio General Store
the sites, and orthophosphate WQO was Valencia Elementary’s
Santa Cruz County:
exceeded at 21% (18% in 2005) of the sites. Open House
April 21, 2007
The Snapshot Day annual event has May 24th, 7:00 pm
provided a glimpse of the state of Natural Bridges State Park
water quality throughout the sanctuary Monterey County: Check
watersheds for the past seven years and the CWC Web Site
is becoming a valuable long term data set April 28, 2007
that helps resource managers to identify Watershed Institute, CSUMB Events Calendar for more
where efforts should be made to improve information on locations and times:
water quality. Special thanks to all of the www.coastal-watershed.org
volunteers that make this event possible!