Urban Watch Monitoring

Duties and responsibilities: Check a set of storm drains for dry season flow in either the community of Los Osos or Morro Bay on a twice monthly basis. If a drain has flow, collect samples and conduct simple analyses using meters and test kits. Make observations on the flow and the drain.

Qualifications: Be able to access the drains, which may involve climbing fences and unstable terrain such as rip-rap. Be able to operate simple test kits and meters to conduct sample analyses. Complete data sheets thoroughly and legibly.

Training: Training conducted on-site with VMP staff.

Time required: Sample collection requires approximately 2 hours per monitoring trip (including driving time) with each volunteer making two monitoring trips each month. Sites vary throughout Morro Bay and Los Osos. Monitoring season starts in June and continues until the first big storm in the fall, which typically occurs in October or November.

Commitment required: Two monitoring trips per month for the duration of the monitoring season (June through approximately October).

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