Blue Water Task Force

The Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) is the Surfrider Foundation’s water quality monitoring, education and advocacy program. It is utilized by our Chapters and members to alert citizens and officials in their communities about water quality problems and to work toward solutions. BWTF has demonstrated success by raising public awareness of coastal water pollution levels and precipitating the establishment of state and local government water quality monitoring programs in many communities where the program has been implemented.

If the BWTF sounds interesting to you volunteer or read below to follow the latest news on the Blue Water Task Force.

Know Your H20

Know Your H20 is a program designed to educate people on the link between freshwater management issues and the impact on our oceans, waves, and beaches. We advocate for practical and environmentally sound solutions. Watch the video below to learn more.

Know Your H2O

February 26th, 2010

Know Your h2o is a program designed to educate people on the link between freshwater management issues and the impact on our oceans, waves, and beaches. We advocate for practical and environmentally sound solutions.

Blue Water Task Force Blog

January 20th, 2010

Read about the BWTF from SF Chapters. http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog

Take Action: Beach Bill

August 4th, 2009

This action alert was recently posted for this year’s version of the Beach Act re-authorization bill, The Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act. For the second year running this bill has passed the House of Representatives. It has also made it out of the Senate Committee and we are hoping to see it brought to the Senate floor for debate and/or vote. To send a letter to senators, click here .

Teach&Test Program – Now recruiting high school students!

June 6th, 2009

Blue Water Task Force of the Long Beach Chapter is looking for a high school to launch our Teach and Test Program! This is a good hands-on program where students can learn to collect water samples, run bacteria analysis and analyze data. It could be a semester long science project or extra curriculum. Contact Emiko for more information.

Water Quality Reports for Long Beach

November 20th, 2006

Long Beach Health Dept.
- Hotline at (562) 570-4199 for the latest status on beach and bay closures or postings.

Heal the Bay Beach Report Card

**To report illegal dumping into a catch basin, call Long Beach Health Dept. at (562) 570-DUMP

**To report a sewage spill, call Long Beach Health Dept. at (562) 570-4129 Monday through Friday 8am-5pm

Red Tide

November 22nd, 2005

Red tide is an algal bloom where the cell densities are high enough to change water color, often to red.

Algae is an important primary producer, therefore, an important part of the food chain. When there are so much nutrients (pollutants) in the water, algae over-grow to develop red tide.

Reasons for red tide in Long Beach:
- L.A. river ends here
- Urban runoff
- Agricultural runoff
- Sewage spills

Other factors for the development of red tide include salinity, water temperature, zooplankton population, and light availability.

Adverse Effects (non-toxic algae):

- For marine life: Decrease in light availability for other aquatic plants and organisms that need sunlight to live.Decrease in dissolved oxygen which kills fish and other marine animals.

- For humans: Burning sensation of the eyes and nose, and dry, choking cough.

For more details, go to “Surfrider Foundation A-Z”.