Water Quality Protection Program for the MBNMS

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) encompasses over 5000 square miles, stretching along 300 miles of coastline from Marin County in the north to San Luis Obispo County in the south. This proximity to the coastline makes the Sanctuary vulnerable to pollution problems in the watershed areas that drain to it, including contaminants such as sediments, nutrients, fecal bacteria, pesticides, oil, grease, metals, and detergents.

Recognizing that water quality is key to ensuring protection for all Sanctuary resources, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed in 1992 by eight federal, state and local agencies agreeing to work together to develop a Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP) for the Sanctuary. Today the WQPP is a partnership of 25 federal, state and local agencies, public and private groups dedicated to protecting and enhancing water quality in the Sanctuary and its watersheds. Using a collaborative approach involving key stakeholders in each issue, four detailed plans have been completed. To learn more about the recommendations and how we and our partners are implementing each of the four plans:

Urban Runoff	Marinas and Boating
Regional Monitoring	Agriculture and Rural Lands
Beach Closure and Microbial Contamination	Protecting Water Quality in Wetlands and Riparian Corridors
Watershed Assessment Reports for Pescadero-Butano & Upper Pajaro River

A regional monitoring plan is underway to coordinate and expand water quality data, with the state leading development of government data, and the Sanctuary and nonprofit groups leading the synthesis of volunteer monitoring data. Implementation of the urban runoff plan involved development of a Model Urban Runoff Program which has since been replaced with Phase I and Phase II Stormwater Management Plans which include local ordinance revisions, municipal best management practices, illicit discharge detection programs, technical training workshops and education and outreach efforts. Implementation of the marinas and boating plan has included working with local harbormasters and environmental organizations on the siting of pumpout facilities for oily bilgewater in local harbors, technical trainings for harbor staff, and educational outreach to boaters.

The largest and most recent plan addresses polluted runoff from over 4000 square miles of agriculture and rural lands. It includes a unique agreement with the Farm Bureaus representing the region's extensive agricultural community to establish industry-led networks to improve soil, nitrate and pesticide management practices. Initial implementation of this plan has included establishment of farmer-led erosion and nitrate control projects in five watersheds. The effort has also generated substantial additional funding from the USDA to our partners, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the University of California Cooperative Extension, and local Resource Conservation Districts, to bring on a team of experts to help carry out the plan and conduct technical outreach to farmers on conservation measures.

Public outreach and education is a key factor in the success of the WQPP. Various water quality education materials and programs have been developed, including posters, brochures, watershed models and displays, teacher training workshops, slide presentations and videos.