Livestock & Land

What is the Livestock and Land Program?

In partnership with the Livestock and Land Program, the CWC and the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District (SMCRCD) will conduct monthly water quality monitoring in three watersheds in Monterey and San Mateo counties between January and December 2012.

The Livestock and Land Program aims to achieve immediate and lasting water quality improvements by educating livestock owners on Best Management Practices (BMPs). The Program has been active in four counties along California’s Central Coast. With funding provided by a State Water Resources Control Board (Proposition 84) grant, the program will expand to include properties near rivers and streams that flow into Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS).  Water quality monitoring site locations are upstream and downstream of areas with livestock facilities where BMPs may be implemented to reduce the amount of sediment, nutrients and bacteria entering waterways.

What do you do?

Staff from the CWC and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and community volunteers will conduct water quality monitoring at four sites along the Carmel River in Monterey County. The SMCRCD will conduct water quality monitoring at three sites on San Vicente Creek and three sites on Sunshine Valley/Dean Creek in San Mateo County.

Volunteers are trained to monitor water temperature, pH, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and salinity and to collect water samples for analysis of bacteria, nutrients and total suspended solids.

To get involved contact the office at 831-464-9200 or email Debie.