Oregon is home to 7 Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) water quality labs, run by our volunteers and activists. Our Blue Water Task Force is a volunteer run water quality monitoring program used to educate beach goers, identify water quality issues, and work towards solutions. Our chapters and volunteers partner with schools, aquariums, watershed councils and various other groups to help monitor water quality along Oregon beaches (at 53 different sites!) and advocate for healthy, clean beaches for us all to enjoy. In 2018, volunteers in Oregon processed 565 water samples, contributing more than 1,400 hours to the BWTF program.
Surfrider has developed a new one-stop-shop resource to check the water quality at your local beach - nationwide! Read more about the resource here or jump directly to the Oregon section.
Check out more information about the labs and how to get involved:
North Coast Lab – This lab, hosted at Seaside High School, monitors 10 sites from Short Sands to Seaside. Contact Jesse Jones (chair@northcoast-or.surfrider.org) to get involved with collecting samples. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici recently visited with the High School students that run this lab - get the full scoop here. Funding for the North Coast Lab provided by the Portland Chapter.
Depoe Bay Lab – This lab, hosted at Neighbors for Kids, a nonprofit that provides a safe place for students to come after school, monitors five sites from Depoe Bay Harbor to Roads End. The lab is run by Nancy and Larry Brammer and Karen Driscoll. Read more about how this lab is empowering youth and making science accessible. Funding for the Depoe Bay Lab provided by the Newport Chapter.
Newport Lab – This lab, hosted by the Oregon Coast Aquarium, monitors 13 sites from Seal Rock to Otter Rock. Water samples are collected on a weekly basis by volunteers and samples are processed by the Aquarium's High School Student Scholars. Contact Bob Trusty (bwtf@newport.surfrider.org) to get involved with collecting samples. Funding for the Newport Lab provided by the Newport Chapter.
Florence Lab – The Florence Lab, hosted by the Siuslaw Watershed Council, monitors eight sites from Siltcoos Outlet to Searose Beach. Contact Linda Serbus (lindaserbus@gmail.com) to get involved with collecting samples. Funding for the Florence Lab is provided by the Siuslaw Chapter.
Charleston Lab – This lab, hosted at the Oregon Institute for Marine Biology, monitors six sites from Cape Arago to Winchester Bay. Contact Carmen Matthews (bwtf@coosbay.surfrider.org) to get involved with collecting water samples. Funding for the Charleston Lab is provided by the Coos Bay Chapter.
Bandon Lab - This lab is run by our Bandon High School Club and monitors Crooked Creek and Bandon South Jetty Park. This is completely run by students overseen by their advisor and teacher, Trent Hatfield. Funding for the Bandon Lab is provided by the Coos Bay Chapter.
Port Orford Lab – This lab, hosted at Pacific High School, monitors 9 sites from Mount Humbug to Floras Lake. Contact Bri (oregon@surfrider.org) to get involved with collecting water samples. Funding for the Port Orford Lab is provided by the Coos Bay Chapter.