San Diego, CA–Ahead of World Oceans Day this Wednesday, the City of San Diego is encouraging the public to learn about local coastal waters through a series of videos that describe the diverse work of its Ocean Monitoring Program in studying the effects of regional wastewater treatment processes on the marine environment.
The videos look at a variety of topics, such as an overview of the program, how the staff takes samples from the ocean floor, the science of identifying marine organisms, testing ocean water quality, and a tour of one of the program’s monitoring vessels.
“Learning about the environment along our coastline can be fascinating, from identifying different sea creatures to analyzing the quality of the ocean water,” said Juan Guerreiro, Director of the City’s Public Utilities Department. “The video series we’re offering is like both a virtual classroom and an open house to show the public the important work we do every day.”
A part of the city’s Public Utilities Department, the Ocean Monitoring Program monitors more than 340 square miles – from northern San Diego to northern Baja California, Mexico – from the shoreline to approximately 10 miles offshore, and to depths of more than 1,600 feet.
City marine biologists use specialized sampling gear and instruments to collect the wide array of data needed to understand the ecological health of the ocean environment to identify potential health concerns associated with the recreational use of San Diego’s coastline.
In 2008, the United Nations designated June 8 as World Oceans Day to raise global awareness of the benefits humankind derives from the ocean and the duty to use its resources sustainably.
For more information about the city’s Ocean Monitoring Program, visit sandiego.gov/ocean-monitoring.
