Citizen Science
Many volunteers and student groups are taking on roles as Citizen Scientists, enabling them to collect invaluable water quality data. Participants collect samples twice weekly at three predetermined sites in the bay. Citizen Scientists are responsible for collecting water samples using proper sampling protocol learned during training.
Once collected, water samples are labeled and observations about water clarity, tide level, and weather conditions are annotated. Samples are then tested on-site for physical and chemical parameters like temperature, pH, salinity, and dissolved oxygen.
This community-based environmental monitoring is a great opportunity for participants of all ages to learn how to properly collect water samples and, more importantly, understand the lab results and their implications.
To see some of the collection results, see the Citizen Science Data on the portal. Learn how to become a Citizen Science volunteer.