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Strange days indeed: foggy and cold one day and super hot the next. We're watching the weather closely in this 'tweener season, and everyone is all geared up for the first significant rainfall for our regional First Flush event. CWC staff and volunteers are also busy in area schools, engaging youth to explore and treasure coastal watersheds. Our on-going monitoring efforts are also continuing, as some projects wind down while others are set to ramp up. All of this is made possible by your time, energy and donations, so more than anything, we want to say THANK YOU for being a part of our work. Really, your support makes it all possible. Read on for more details... |
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Beer for Water - Event Rescheduled to Thursday, Dec. 9
Hopefully you've already received the e-mail about this change of date: due to a scheduling error, the October 14 fundraising event for CWC at the Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing Company has been rescheduled. The brewery accidentally double-booked CWC with Planned Parenthood for October 14, so the brewery has rescheduled CWC for December 9, 2010. We apologize for the confusion, but we hope you'll join us for the event in early December. Thanks to all of you who were so excited about this fun event. We hope your excitement will build, you can tell even more friends who care about healthy watersheds, and that we'll have a huge turnout on Dec. 9.
 We thank the Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing Company for their support of local organizations, and for hosting this fun and creative fundraising event. We rely on donations from individuals and we encourage you to join our Board of Directors, staff and volunteers at the Brewery on December 9. If you're not able to join us, we still welcome a contribution to help us preserve and protect coastal watersheds. It's quick and painless via our website, and it helps CWC's important work.
Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing Company is a local, family-owned and operated organic brewery located at 402 Ingalls Street on Santa Cruz's West Side. Food is available at the Brewery through Kelly's Bakery, so come for food, drink, and a good cause on Thursday, December 9. See you there! |
Water Tours Return - Saturday, October 23, 2010, in Capitola
CWC is again hosting a number of water tours, renewing a tradition from days past. The first of this season, "A Walk through Time: Exploring Capitola's History and its Close Ties to Water," is scheduled for October 23, 2010, in Capitola. Bridget Posson, CWC's Education Coordinator, will lead a walking tour to explore the history of Capitola's close connection to water. During this 2 to 3 hour event, Capitola's unique ties to the surrounding creeks, lagoons and beaches will be investigated.
 Starting at Perry Park, the group will take a stroll down Riverview Drive and learn the important history of Soquel Creek and it's impact on the formation of present day Capitola. A stop at the beautiful Capitola Historical Museum will give us a glimpse of how Capitola was and how it has become what it is today. The second half of the tour will take us to the Soquel Creek Lagoon and recently constructed treatment wetland at Stockton Bridge. Participants can see how modern day Capitola is working to keep its water clean and safe for residents and tourists who flock to the surrounding waterfront.
The tour will end at the beach near the Capitola Wharf, where an old fishing village once stood. Refreshments will be provided at the end of the tour. The length of this walking tour is approximately 1.5 miles one way, and visitors will need to walk back to their vehicles from the beach. Please wear comfortable shoes and clothing to be able to enjoy this moderate walking tour. Public restrooms will be available near the Capitola Historical Museum. Everyone is welcome and this event is FREE to the public. CWC thanks the City of Capitola Department of Public Works for making these tours possible.
Where to Meet: Saturday, October 23, 2010, 12-3 p.m. starting at Perry Park (located at the end of Riverview Drive in Capitola; near the Nob Hill Shopping Center). Contact CWC for more details: (831) 464-9200, bposson@coastalws.org. |
 First Flush - Waiting on the Rain
October is halfway gone and still we await the first significant rain. There was a yellow alert early last week, but the threat passed with no rain in the Santa Cruz area (though some locations in Big Sur, Fremont and Marina received measurable amounts).
Currently, the forecast shows a system making its way from the Gulf of Alaska that may bring precipitation to our area early Sunday morning into Monday.
Stay tuned folks - the First Flush will come sometime. Meanwhile, we'll keep you posted on the changing weather of this fabulous fall season. Thank you all for your commitment to clean watersheds. We look forward to seeing you in the field! |
The Get Outdoors (GO!) Program is Up and Running Again
With more grant funding from NOAA's Bay Watershed Education & Training (B-WET) program, CWC has yet again launched the GO! Program at New Brighton Middle School and Landmark Elementary. Landmark Elementary is in its first support year after three years of wonderful watershed education activities. After these three years, teachers have embraced watershed curriculum and are continuing to educate their students on the importance of caring for their local watershed. Students benefit from field trips and classroom presentations which are aligned with the California State Science Standards. 6th grade classes at New Brighton Middle School have already made their first trip to monitor water at Noble Gulch. Along with learning how to use water quality monitoring equipment, students will be learning about local flora and fauna, benthic macroinvertebrates and why they are important as indicators of water quality, and what students can do to keep their watershed healthy. CWC is looking forward to the months ahead and hoping to keep inspiring students at all of our partner schools. |
CWC Seeks Volunteers in Northern Monterey County
CWC is currently seeking volunteers for water quality monitoring on Carneros Creek in Northern Monterey County. As part of a 4-year USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) grant, ALBA wetandsCWC will monitor the impacts of organic farming practices and wetland restoration on water quality in Carneros Creek, the main freshwater tributary to Elkhorn Slough.  ALBA wetandsALBA wetandsWith lead agency ALBA (Agricultural and Land-based Training Association), CWC is partnering with a number of local organizations, researchers and farmers to assess how these land use changes lead to changes in sediment and water quality, both in the creek and downstream in the slough. CWC monitors levels of pesticides, nutrients, metals and other key water quality parameters, and is still recruiting volunteers for this interesting work. Staff will lead teams of volunteers in weekly monitoring of the creek and wetland sites on or near ALBA's Triple-M Ranch property. If you are interested in getting involved in this exciting project, please contact CWC at (831) 464-9200. or volunteer@coastalws.org. |
The Coastal Watershed Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered in the State of California. We are located at the Santa Cruz Harbor at 345 Lake Avenue, Suite F, Santa Cruz, CA 95062. Our mission is to preserve and protect coastal watersheds through community stewardship, education and monitoring. Donations enable the continuation of this critical work. Please visit our website for a simple and secure donations transaction. Thank you for your support. |
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