Baywatchers

For over 30 years, Baywatchers have monitored the health of Buzzards Bay and its harbors, coves, and rivers. The Baywatchers program is the largest, longest-running volunteer-based coastal monitoring effort in New England. This Bay Health data forms the foundation of all the Coalition’s work to restore and protect the Bay.

Your Questions Answered

Who are Baywatchers?
How do I become a Baywatcher?
Where do Baywatchers work?
What do Baywatchers measure?
What happens to the data collected?
What other types of monitoring do Baywatchers help with?
Where do I find my Baywatcher resources?

Who are Baywatchers?

Baywatchers are people like you – local residents who love the water and want to do their part to protect it. These “citizen scientists” go out about one morning per week in summer to test key aspects of the water’s health. Since the program began in 1992, more than 1,000 local residents have volunteered as Baywatchers. Not only do Baywatchers test the water, they also represent the Coalition in their communities. Baywatchers often get the opportunity to talk with others about their volunteer work and the importance of protecting clean water. Baywatchers 

Baywatchers Program Requirements

  • Commit to monitoring at a designated location one morning per week from May to September.
  • Attend a training to learn how to collect and test water samples.
  • Follow instructions in the Baywatchers kit to ensure accurate measurements.
  • Are comfortable working on docks, piers, beaches, and boat ramps at the water’s edge.

Become a Baywatcher

Fill out our volunteer application and choose Monitoring/Baywatchers.

Fill Out the Volunteer Form

Baywatcher Sunrise Baywatcher with Kayak

Where do Baywatchers work?

Baywatchers volunteer at over 200 monitoring stations in 30 major harbors, coves, and rivers across Buzzards Bay — an area covering more than one-quarter of the Massachusetts coast. Visit our Bay Health section to learn more about where Baywatchers test the water.

What do Baywatchers measure?

Each week, Baywatchers measure the following parameters:

  • Dissolved oxygen
  • Temperature
  • Salinity
  • Water clarity
  • General weather condition

Approximately four times per summer, Baywatchers collect additional water samples that the Coalition delivers to the Woodwell Climate Research Center. There, scientists analyze the water samples for nitrogen, phosphorus, and algal pigments.

All data collection and analysis is conducted in accordance with a Quality Assurance Project Plan approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

2023 baywatchers Data 2 Bay Buzz624

What happens to the data collected?

Sound science forms the foundation of all the Coalition’s work. And when it comes to understanding Buzzards Bay, no data is more important than that generated by our Baywatchers program.

This Bay Health data helps the Coalition and local decision makers identify pollution problems all across the region. Baywatchers data has even been used for long-term research projects like understanding the local impacts of climate change.

What other types of monitoring do Baywatchers help with?

Some Baywatchers volunteer with the Coalition’s research and monitoring programs all year long. As a Baywatcher, you can help count migrating river herring in spring and monitor stream flow on local rivers.

  • Assist with installation and removal of electronic fish counters.
  • Record daily counter numbers.
  • Remove debris from counter tunnel.

  • Visit stream gauge(s) every two weeks (day and time flexible) and record observations for approximately 10 minutes.
  • Enter data online from home.
Our programs baywatchers 2

Resources for Current Baywatchers