BayKeeper: A citizen navy

Every day, the San Francisco Bay estuary is, in some way, damaged. Every day, the BayKeeper organization works to prevent, document and repair some of that damage. It is a tremendous task and more help, our help, is needed.

The San Francisco Bay estuary is, collectively, the San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay and the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers Delta. Here salt and fresh water mix in an intricate and fragile ecosystem that supports an abundance of wildlife and provides a place of recreation and livelihood for a large — and growing — human population. Unfortunately, humans have tended to misuse and exploit this resource; we poison its waters and destroy its pristine shores and landscapes. The wild populations of marine mammals, water fowl, migratory birds, fish, shellfish and shore animals are threatened by shrinking and changing habitats.

Pollution from agricultural and urban runoff, toxic waste from industry, and discharge from boats and vessels contaminate the Bay. Municipal effluents, contaminated with toxics from industry and improperly processed sewage, flow into the Bay as well. Further, improper dredging stirs toxic sediments from the Bay floor back into the water.

Fresh water diversion upsets the delicate balance in brackish water habitats. The filling of wetlands for development destroys habitats and blocks public access to the shore. Wetlands also act as a “filter” for contaminated urban runoff, absorbing toxics before they reach the water. Today, the Bay receives as little as 40 percent of its natural supply of fresh water, and more than 80 percent of its original wetlands have been filled.

A lack of funding inhibits the proper enforcement of the laws designed to regulate the activities concerning the Bay and Delta. For example, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), which is charged with enforcing the Federal Clean Water Act, had, in the late 1970s, a boat with which to patrol the water. At the same time, the Coast Guard had five hundred people devoted to environmental law enforcement. All of this was lost in the 1980s.

Michael Herz, former director of the local chapter of the Oceanic Society, founded BayKeeper to patrol the waters of the estuary. He intended to increase the monitoring of the activities on the Bay and collect evidence to document the ongoing abuses. “BayKeeper offers an opportunity for hands-on water quality enforcement. Our goal is to develop routine on-the-water presence,” said John Payne, Assistant Director of BayKeeper. “Regulatory agencies don't have routine on-the-water presence.”

Volunteers with boats are needed to patrol the waters of the Bay, and those with access to a plane are needed for aerial reconnaissance. Observations from the shore and around marinas are also essential. Field work includes monitoring dredge spoil disposal and oil transfers, sampling discharge from navy vessels and houseboats, testing water for bacterial concentration, and collecting evidence of wildlife affected by pollution and habitat loss.

In addition to field work, BayKeeper needs people to review data from public health agencies, help create a database of maps and resources of the bay, and analyze hazards and risks (e.g. from development) to the Bay. Volunteers are needed to act as liaisons between BayKeeper and the governmental agencies, environmental groups, and other organizations concerned with the Bay, to speak on bay preservation and to host slide shows for educational outreach. People are also needed to help answer the BayKeeper phones and maintain the BayKeeper boat and on-board electronic equipment. Training courses are offered to make us all able BayKeepers.

Anytime you see evidence of pollution or harm to the Bay, such as floating sewage, an oil slick or spill, deformed birds or fish, or if you witness a violation of regulations, call the BayKeeper hotline at 1-800-BAYKEEP.

To volunteer, to sign up for a training course, to use the speakers bureau or to receive more information call BayKeeper at (415) 567-4401 or write to BayKeeper, Bldg. A, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA 94123.

——

Published in Action, vol 1, no 1 · Jul–Aug 1990