The outlet waters of the Malibu Creek Watershed flow through Malibu Lagoon and Surfrider Beach, eventually discharging into the Santa Monica Bay. Photo: Heal the Bay
Stream Team volunteers test creek water for conductivity. Photo: Heal the Bay (click image to enlarge).

The Stream Team efficiently partners the information needs of environmental groups, local, state, and federal agencies with citizens who want to actively volunteer their time to protect and enhance the environment.

The combined efforts of this partnership are intended to enhance the ecological function and improve water quality throughout the watershed, which in turn will improve water quality at the Malibu Lagoon State Park and Surfrider Beach. In fact, the Stream Team has already been instrumental in creating new and more protective water quality standards in the Malibu Creek Watershed.

Volunteers and Data

Heal the Bay trains and certifies the volunteers that collect and analyze the water quality at monitoring locations throughout the watershed. More than 5800 Stream Team volunteers have been trained since November of 1998.

All the information collected by the Stream Team volunteers is entered into a Geographic Information System (GIS), a computer mapping and database program maintained by Heal the Bay. The GIS program allows the information to be analyzed by Heal the Bay and distributed to agencies throughout the area. The information can be used by the various agencies in charge of protecting the numerous species of plants and wildlife and by those concerned with making the area safe for recreational users.

The information is also beneficial for Heal the Bay and other groups that are interested in monitoring the Malibu Creek Watershed to help locate areas that are in need of immediate restoration or further study. In addition, Stream Team data is used to track trends in water quality to assist local planning agencies in developing future water quality protection goals and land use management strategies.

Please browse the Stream Team section of our website and discover the many ways Heal the Bay uses science and advocacy to help make the Malibu Creek Watershed and Santa Monica Bay safer for people and aquatic life.