San Diego Coastkeeper hosts monthly events to educate about coastal waters
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SAN DIEGO—“Is Mission Bay Gross?” On Thursday, May 12 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., San Diego Coastkeeper’s free quarterly Signs of the Tide public forum will clear the fog surrounding the urban jewel and popular getaway spot’s water quality and safety. The region’s leading environmental nonprofit protecting inland and coastal waters will educate the public with the help of four expert panelists at Urban Corps San Diego, located at 3127 Jefferson Street.
Panelists will examine different aspects of the bay and address attendees about Mission Bay’s ecosystem; land use and development history; infrastructure upgrades to improve urban impacts; and water quality data. Speakers and topics are as follows:
• Rob Hutsel, executive director of San Diego River Parks Foundation, will share Mission Bay’s history and how it transformed to one of the biggest recreational assets in San Diego. Hutsel will explore the change of the course of water flowing to the bay from the San Diego River, concluding on water circulation happening throughout the year in Mission Bay.
• Ken Schiff, deputy director of Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, will compare Mission Bay’s water quality status with similar water bodies in the region. A water quality expert, Schiff will explain various water quality testing methods and draw a connection between government water quality standards and human health.
• Ruth Kolb, program manager at City of San Diego Transportation and Stormwater Department, will discuss how Mission Bay got its bad reputation and how the City of San Diego has taken drastic steps to improve the Bay’s water quality.
• Jen Kovecses, staff scientist at San Diego Coastkeeper, will share her expertise about current problems Coastkeeper sees affecting Mission Bay’s water quality and explain Coastkeeper’s goals for improving the water quality. Kovecses will outline next steps and different ways community members can get involved in the process.
Attendees with appetite for knowledge will be offered light appetizers and beverages.
Coastkeeper’s next Signs of the Tide on Thursday, Aug. 9, will examine “San Diego Bay’s Dirty Little Secret.” All of the Signs of the Tide events are free and open to the public.
In addition to Signs of the Tide forums, Coastkeeper provides San Diego residents with a variety of opportunities to act as partners in preservation, including Water Quality Monitoring and beach cleanups.
Water Quality Monitoring, an essential component in establishing water quality trends in the county’s creeks and rivers, will occur on:
• May 21: Volunteer training at 8:30 a.m. Field session at 11 a.m.
• June 11: No training. Field Session begins at 9 a.m.
• July 16: Volunteer training at 8:30 a.m. Field session at 11 a.m.
Twice-monthly Beach Cleanups, hosted alongside Surfrider San Diego Chapter, are as follows:
• April 30: Creek to Bay Cleanup
• May 14: Oceanside Harbor
• May 21: Encinitas- Moonlight Beach
• May 28: Mission Bay-Fiesta Island
• June 11: Oceanside Harbor
• June 25: Pacific Beach- Crystal Pier
• July 5: “The Morning After Mess”-Various locations
• July 16: Encinitas- Moonlight Beach
• July 30: South Mission Beach- Meet next to parking lot and lifeguard tower
For more information about community events, visit Coastkeeper’s website at localhost/sdcoastkeeper, or email Dylan Edwards at [email protected].
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Founded in 1995, San Diego Coastkeeper protects the region’s inland and coastal waters for the communities and wildlife that depend on them by blending education, community empowerment and advocacy. Visit us online at https://www.sdcoastkeeper.org.
