The Coastal Watershed Council is thrilled to announce the...

The City of Santa Cruz seeks feedback on the next stage of the community-wide Climate Action Plan 2030 development process! Draft actions for the Climate Action Plan 2030 are now available for review and feedback in an online, interactive tool called Consider. It is...

Greg Pepping will leave CWC after 12 years and is working with the Board of Directors and staff to prepare CWC to evolve into its next chapter of watershed protection.

CWC is thrilled to welcome its newest staff member, Kaiya Giuliano-Monroy, who joined this river revitalizing team in December. Kaiya, who grew up in the San Lorenzo River watershed, jumped right into her new role leading teams of volunteers in planting new native...

Many reasons and many ways for you to give to CWC. We’re also highlighting some other organizations worthy of your support and we invite you to give to them as well. See who we’re including.

This blog outlines how CWC views the disaster of this past week as sad, infuriating – and a potential turning point for the organization to successfully advocate for the San Lorenzo River.

Before the names of Santa Cruz and the San Lorenzo River, the village along the river where it met the ocean was called “Aulintak” by the Awaswas-speaking Uypi tribe. Today, those who live where Aulintak once stood are honoring the name of this place by incorporating it into a new neighborhood storm drain mural in Poet’s Park located in the heart of the Beach Flats neighborhood.

Historically and currently a mostly white organization, CWC is exploring how we might step into bold work to save our species.

How to light a Riverwalk but shield the river creatures from our human-needed light.

The City of Santa Cruz is changing the way the San Lorenzo Lagoon is managed through an innovative engineering solution that addresses flooding, fish habitat and public safety needs.

Are there still laws that protect the health of rivers, or have they been overturned, or ignored?

CWC, artist Irene Juarez O’Connell and Beach Flats Families collaborate on Santa Cruz’s next storm drain mural along the San Lorenzo River!

What’s the connection between your financial planning and healthy kids, water quality and river habitat?

This is the coolest river map you’ve ever seen. Really!

City and County of Santa Cruz reinvest in CORE Investments.

How is CWC doing on transparency standards?

The first Saturday in May is just around the corner, and with it comes the 22nd Annual Snapshot Day! Due to safety precautions, Snapshot Day will look a little different this year than in years past, yet remains a great way to get outdoors, to explore your watershed...

How do we protect the river AND honor the challenges and complexity of homelessness? CWC’s advocacy positions carefully balance being river advocates and respecting the dignity of people experiencing homelessness. There’s no denying that we’re seeing the negative effects on the river and Riverwalk from illegal camping in the riparian zone. What can a watershed nonprofit do about it?

Like so many of you, at CWC we're always seeking new ways to learn more about the issues that matter most to us. As our community invests in a thriving local news ecosystem, we're eager to see an increased focus on the environment in local reporting as we welcome home...

As I complete my service as a proud member of the Coastal Watershed Council Board of Directors, I wish to thank our community and share some observations. I am genuinely grateful for the assistance that so many of you provide to transform the lower San Lorenzo River...

The Coastal Watershed Council stands with Black Lives Matter, condemns hate, racism and violence against Black people and commits to practicing anti-racism, allyship and intersectional environmentalism. As a leader of a mostly white organization, I will start with listening and learning, which matches our organization’s strategy or “theory of change,” to transform the San Lorenzo River into a community destination that Santa Cruz is proud of and drawn to…

Not all experiences should be remembered. If we recall our struggles too crisply, the burden may be heavy. On the other hand, forgotten memories cost us the warmth and appreciation from special moments in our lives. Ideally, we have full recall of the highlights and...

The Santa Cruz Riverwalk has re-opened. If you live within walking or biking distance, now is the perfect time to get outdoors and visit the lower San Lorenzo River. Check out CWC's newly published activities for you and your family to enjoy while abiding by the...

Over the last few weeks, we've all experienced a tremendous amount of rapid change as we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, shelter in place and protect the most vulnerable in our community. As of midnight on April 8, the Santa Cruz Riverwalk park and all Santa Cruz...

Currently a senior at UCSC studying marine biology, Meg DeCoite is thrilled to come onboard as CWC’s After-School Educator leading the Watershed Rangers programs at Westlake and DeLaveaga elementary schools. This environmental education program connects, inspires and...

Thanks to all of the hundreds of volunteers, donors and supporters like you, 2019 was a great year for the Coastal Watershed Council! It's because of you that: CWC advocated for the commemoration of Santa Cruz's historic Chinese neighborhoods with the naming of the...

Pictured above: Carol, Pedro and Felker Street neighbors celebrate a successful storm drain mural design workshop.Taking care of the San Lorenzo River really does take a village. And oh, what a village the San Lorenzo River is blessed with! 2019 experienced a record...

During the dry season in summer and fall, the banks of the San Lorenzo River turn from green to gold. Native plants finish flowering and go dormant, conserving their resources until wet weather returns and their cycle beings anew. While native plants wait patiently...

A second-grade after-school student at Bay View Elementary School whips her hair in a circle, flinging water drops all over her fellow Watershed Rangers classmates as they squeal in a fit of laughter. Although the rainy season has not yet arrived in Santa Cruz and...

Before the winter rains come, how will you get ready for rain? The first significant rainfall of the year scours your streets and neighborhoods and will move everything in its path into local waterways. Heavy rain picks up and moves bacteria, oil and grease, sediment,...

Written by: Anna Maldonado CWC Environmental Leaders Fellow   Growing up in Santa Cruz, I was always aware of the San Lorenzo River running through town. After finishing my second year at UC San Diego studying Earth Sciences, I was...

Photos Courtesy of Jake J. Thomas Photo and Coastal Watershed Council staff. Storm drain murals beautify and increase public art in local neighborhoods, a priority for river neighbors, and help people visualize how their local storm drain is connected to...

The results of the 20th Annual Snapshot Day are here!During Snapshot Day 2019, 60 volunteers collected field measurements and water samples from rivers, streams and sloughs across Santa Cruz County. To determine the health of waterbodies sampled during...

The Coastal Watershed Council's River Health Day program engages corporate teams, community volunteers and youth groups to remove invasive species, plant native plants and improve ecosystem health along lower San Lorenzo River. In addition to...

On average, a dog produces 3/4 pounds, around 340 grams, of waste a day. In each gram of poop there are 23 million coliform bacteria. That means every time you pick up after your pet, you stop millions of billions of harmful bacteria from infecting people and dogs swimming downstream.

Thank you to all of the community scientists and other volunteers who attended the 20th Annual Snapshot Day on Saturday, May 4! Snapshot Day is the largest and longest running single-day water quality monitoring event in California. Every year, trained...