Throughout coastal Marin, nonprofits and government agencies are working together to collect data, implement change, and post information ensuring the air we breathe, the water we drink, and where we play is safe for everyone. This pages includes links to both clean air and clean water resources. Click the blue hyperlinks to learn more.
How’s the Water Quality Today?
Water pollution happens when harmful substances, like chemicals or solid wastes (from humans or animals), are discharged into a body of water. The most common forms of water pollution include: agriculture (fertilizers, pesticides, and nutrients, bacteria from animal waste products); sewage and wastewater; oil pollution; and radioactive substances.
Marin County Ocean & Bay Water Quality Testing Program
MARIN COUNTY OCEAN & BAY WATER QUALITY TESTING
Once a week from April 1 through October 31, Marin County Environmental Health Services (EHS) monitors 27 ocean, bay and freshwater sites to determine if a beach meets the California water quality standards for recreational water contact. EHS works cooperatively with other agencies to collect water samples and post advisory signage as needed at the designated sampling sites.
EAC participates in this program in partnership with Point Reyes National Seashore monitoring two sites: Drakes Estero and Drakes Beach.
Tomales Bay
Watershed Council
TOMALES BAY WATERSHED COUNCIL
The Tomales Bay Watershed Council (TBWC) was formed in 1999 by the region’s stakeholders with an interest in improving the watershed’s vital natural resources. The TBWC includes representatives from local, state, and federal agencies, environmental organizations, citizen and residential groups, agricultural and shellfish industries, recreational interests, and individual residents. The EAC is an active member of the council.
HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS
STATE OF CALIFORNIA MAP & WEBSITE
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) can pose a health risk to people and animals, harm aquatic ecosystems, and limit the use of drinking and recreational waterbodies due to the toxins, odors, and scums or mats they can produce. The State of California created a portal as an informational resource for the public and also functions as a tool to support coordination with statewide partners to address HABs. The content is developed by the California Cyanobacteria and HAB (CCHAB) Network and participating state agencies.
The content included here focuses on freshwater and estuarine HABs; similar content for marine (coastal) HABs is provided by the California Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring and Alert Program (CalHABMAP) webpages.
WATER QUality resources
state of california
Looking for resources on Safe Drinking Water? Watershed Health? Water Quality Monitoring Data? Recreational Water Quality? Health of Wetlands, Estuaries, Rivers and Creeks? The State of California Water Quality page has links to multiple portals of information to help you find the answers to your questions on water quality near you.
How’s the Air Quality Today?
Air pollution happens when certain gases or particulates are released into the air and cause harm to people, animals, and/or plants. Some of the types of air pollution include smog and soot; hazardous air pollution from industries that release chemicals like benzene and metals like lead and mercury; exhaust from cars and wildfire smoke releases polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); wildfire smoke, and pollens and molds. Air pollution also includes greenhouse gases (GHG), like carbon dioxide. GHG cause the climate to warm by trapping heat from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere. Ozone in the troposphere is a GHG and also a health hazard.
air quality resources
SPARE THE AIR
Spare the Air was created in 1991 by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to alert residents when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy and to share information on ways to reduce air pollution. From easy, everyday tools—such as commute tips—and air quality resources, such as explanations of major air pollutant sources and their health effects, Spare the Air focuses on educating and helping residents choose actions that will improve air quality and make the Bay Area a healthier, more enjoyable place to live. While ozone is produced every day, cooler temperatures and steady winds normally keep it from building up to unhealthy concentrations. During the Bay Area’s warmer months between April and October, the longer, hotter days mean that ozone can accumulate to levels that violate federal health-based standards. When this is expected to happen, a Spare the Air Alert is called. Learn more about ozone effects on health. Learn More: Air Pollution
PURPLE AIR- REAL-TIME AIR QUALITY MONITORING
PurpleAir makes sensors that a community of citizen scientists use to collect hyper-local, real-time air quality data and share it on a map that is accessible to everyone.
AIR NOW - AIR QUALITY DATA WHERE YOU LIVE
AirNow is a one-stop source for air quality data. The recently redesigned site highlights air quality in your local area first, while still providing air quality information at state, national, and world views. A new interactive map even lets you zoom out to get the big picture or drill down to see data for a single air quality monitor. AirNow reports air quality using the official U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI), a color-coded index designed to communicate whether air quality is healthy or unhealthy for you. When you know the AQI in your area, you can take steps to protect your health.
DRAWDOWN MARIN
DRAWDOWN MARIN
Drawdown Marin is a community-driven campaign to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, prepare for climate change impacts, and meaningfully address and integrate equity. Drawdown: Marin works with Marin County residents, businesses, organizations, agencies, and local governments to design and implement local climate change solutions with a goal get to a 60% reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions below 2005 by Marin County by 2030 and down to ZERO by 2045.
Are We Missing Something? Is a Link Broken?
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