San Diego Coastkeeper’s bilingual volunteer water quality sampling program collects data in the field monthly at ten locations throughout Mission Bay, located in Los Peñasquitos Watershed.
Sign up to receive access to monthly sampling opportunities. View volunteer resources and training materials below.
Volunteers collect water quality samples and other ambient data from ten sites in Mission Bay, part of Los Peñasquitos Watershed. Explore the sites using the Google Map below.
| List of Sampling Sites |
|---|
| 1. Paradise Point |
| 2. Fiesta Sunset Beach (mid-channel) |
| 3. Rose Creek (freshwater source) |
| 4. Fanuel Street Park |
| 5. Mission Point |
| 6. De Anza Cove |
| 7. Tecolote Creek |
| 8. South Shores (mid-channel) |
| 9. Leisure Lagoon |
| 10. Kendall Frost Marsh |
| 11. Olney Street Outfall (storm event alternative site) |
| 12. Stribely Marsh Outfall (storm event alternative site) |
The results of the data collection are available to view and download here.
Green Results – Passes Water Quality Standards
Red Results – Fails Water Quality Standards
Navigate to a specific section below.
Mission Bay and its surrounding environment are at serious risk of degradation. Development and urbanization in Los Peñasquitos Watershed, along with aging stormwater and wastewater infrastructure, have created conditions where pollution plagues our communities, along with poor water quality, failing water infrastructure, and lack of habitat restoration, which in turn cause illness, urban flooding, erosion, and habitat degradation. Polluted stormwater runoff is the single biggest threat to the health of Mission Bay’s waters. Its persistence has led to the entire Mission Bay and the waterways that flow into Mission Bay, including Rose Creek and Tecolote Creek, being designated on the 303(d) List as pollution-impaired for not meeting federal water quality standards. Urban runoff threatens our habitats and wildlife and poses serious health risks to children, swimmers, subsistence fishers, and beach-going families.
In 2021, Mission Bay had more than 113 days of beach advisories and closures, which are in effect for at least 72 hours following a rainstorm due to high bacteria counts, meaning that San Diegans cannot recreate in, or draw sustenance from, Mission Bay after rain without risking infection or death. In 2020, Mission Bay had more than 252 days of beach advisories and closures.
This program prioritizes water quality improvements, habitat restoration and green infrastructure projects, climate resiliency, and equitable access to this public space.
Volunteers are in the field once a month to perform water quality sampling at ten different sites in Mission Bay for approximately three hours. They also engage in community events, meetings, and advocacy efforts. The duration of this program is one year.
In order to participate in a water quality sampling event, volunteers are required to either attend an in-person training, or view the virtual recording and take the mandatory post-training quiz. The quiz has 13 questions, and you are required to obtain at least 10 out of 13 correct in order to qualify as a trained volunteer.
View the recording below, and then take the post-training quiz. By taking this virtual training option, you are able to sign up and participate in any of our water quality sampling events, including those in different watersheds (such as our Chollas Creek program).
Click here to view the recording. Note that the training video is almost one hour long.
After viewing the recording, please take the mandatory Post-Training Quiz here. You are required to answer at least 10 out of the 13 questions correct to qualify as a trained volunteer.
We acknowledge the valuable time and effort needed for this program to achieve its goals. This program provides a stipend to the first ten volunteers who confirm and attend each monthly field day to reduce financial barriers and provide equitable access to this opportunity that would otherwise make it difficult for one to participate. Anyone interested is welcome to apply. Spanish speakers or community members with limited English are highly encouraged to participate.
Check out our events calendar to learn about the next New Volunteer Orientation and Training session, as well as other opportunities to get involved.
Contact Lesly Gallegos-Stearns at [email protected] for more information.
El programa de muestreo de calidad del agua de voluntarios bilingües de San Diego Coastkeeper recopila datos en el campo mensualmente en diez ubicaciones en Mission Bay, ubicadas en la cuenca de Los Peñasquitos.
Navegar a una sección específica a continuación.
Mission Bay y el ambiente alrededor están en grave riesgo de degradación. El desarrollo y la urbanización en la Cuenca de Los Peñasquitos, junto con el envejecimiento de la infraestructura de aguas pluviales y aguas residuales, han creado condiciones en las que nuestras comunidades están plagadas de contaminación, ademas de mala calidad del agua, fallas en la infraestructura del agua y falta de restauración del hábitat, lo que a su vez causa enfermedades e inundaciones urbanas, la erosión y la degradación del hábitat. La escorrentía de aguas pluviales contaminadas es la mayor amenaza para la salud de las aguas de Mission Bay. Su persistencia ha llevado a que todo Mission Bay, así como las vías fluviales que desembocan en Mission Bay, incluyendo Rose Creek y Tecolote Creek, sean designadas en la Lista 303(d) como afectadas por la contaminación por no cumplir con los estándares federales de calidad del agua. El escurrimiento de agua urbana amenaza nuestros hábitats y la vida silvestre, y representa graves riesgos para la salud de los niños, los nadadores, los pescadores de subsistencia y las familias que van a la playa.
En el 2021, Mission Bay tuvo más de 113 días de avisos y cierres de playas, lo cual están vigentes durante al menos 72 horas después de una tormenta debido a un alto recuento de bacterias, lo que significa que los habitantes de San Diego no pueden recrearse en Mission Bay ni obtener sustento de Mission Bay después de la lluvia sin riesgo de infección o muerte. En el 2020, Mission Bay tuvo más de 252 días de avisos y cierres de playas.
Este programa prioriza mejoramientos en la calidad del agua, la restauración del hábitat y los proyectos de infraestructura verde, la resiliencia climática y el acceso equitativo a este espacio público.
