Monterey Waterkeeper

Monterey Waterkeeper respectfully requests support for the purchase of water quality monitoring equipment for the Central Coast Water Leaders program. This equipment will directly benefit 280+ students over the next year, primarily from underserved communities in North and South Monterey County, by providing hands-on opportunities to build skills in water testing, environmental stewardship, and scientific inquiry. Students will engage in field-based learning along the Salinas River, Elkhorn Slough, and Monterey Bay—waterways that are currently impaired and in critical need of community-driven protection and restoration. 

Through participation in the GLOBE Program, students will be trained in standardized protocols to collect and submit real-world water quality data (e.g., pH, nitrates, dissolved oxygen, turbidity) to a global scientific database. 

This project will strengthen STEM learning, increase environmental literacy, and empower youth to take an active role in protecting their local ecosystems. By combining science, stewardship, and community engagement, the program fosters the next generation of environmental leaders while contributing meaningful data to global efforts to understand and protect our planet’s water resources.