The Watershed Brigade was formed in 2020 as a grassroots effort to clean up local watersheds. It’s a community program that provides hands-on volunteer opportunities in combination with education and advocacy initiatives that encourage collective action to address trash and marine debris pollution issues that threaten our water resources, wildlife, and the health of our communities.
1,975 Volunteers ֍ 47,487 Pounds of Trash ֍ 1,790 Cleanups
Upcoming Cleanups
Lobster Trap Cleanup
Saturday April 19th, 8:45 AM
Mesa Lane Steps
On April 19th the Watershed Brigade will be removing derelict lobster traps from the stretch of beach between Mesa Lane and Shoreline. Volunteers will meet at the Mesa Lane Steps at 8:45 am.
Derelict lobster traps can entangle marine wildlife, release microplastics, and create safety hazards for vessels and beachgoers. We hope you’ll join us to help get these traps off of the beach!
Protective clothing and closed-toe shoes are required as traps can have sharp edges. Volunteers will use shovels and pry bars to dig out buried traps, remove rocks and debris and stage traps for removal offshore to a commercial fishing boat. Fisherman from Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara will provide vessel support to load and transport them to the Santa Barbara Harbor.
This is the fifth year of shoreline cleanup collaborations with Chris Voss and the Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara. We’re excited to work together on this community event!
We hope you can join us!
Sign up here!
Saturday May 3rd, 8:30 AM
Santa Barbara Harbor
Santa Barbara Harbor’s Operation Clean Sweep, a seafloor debris cleanup program, will hold its 17th annual event on Saturday, May 3rd. A team of volunteer divers, supported by volunteer dock workers, will remove junk from beneath the Marina. Divers will locate the junk and dock volunteers will cart it off for disposal.
During past events, volunteers removed over twenty tons of debris from Santa Barbara Harbor, including bicycles, plastic barrels, boat propellers, outboard engines, phones, and marine batteries.
The event begins at 8:30 am, with a briefing on the Travel Lift Pier beneath the Harbormaster’s Office, and the cleanup will end at 11:30 am. Free lunch will be provided to volunteers after the cleanup.
We hope you can join us!
Sign up here!
Help Keep Our Community Litter-Free!
Channelkeeper’s Watershed Brigade is a community of volunteers dedicated to keeping our local watersheds and beaches clean. Brigade members remove trash from trails, creeks, rivers, urban areas, and beaches, act as environmental stewards, and collect trash data used to help reduce pollution at its source. And it’s fun! Volunteers earn points that make them eligible for perks and prizes.
Beaches, creeks, trails, and rivers along the South Coast are experiencing more visitation than ever before, and a lot of trash is left behind in these fragile environments, damaging their ecosystems and polluting waterways.
We formed the Watershed Brigade in 2020 as a grassroots community effort to fight litter and keep our local watersheds and beaches clean. Members work together to clean up trash and debris from local trails, creeks, rivers, urban areas, and beaches and we also work as environmental stewards to encourage responsible exploration of our local watersheds.
Volunteering is super fun!
- Sign up for our monthly eNewsletter!
- Volunteer for Community Service Credit
- Inquire about a Hosted Group Cleanup
Sign the Waiver / Exención.
Read the Safety + Outreach Guidelines
Léa las Reglas de Seguridad en Español.
Watershed Brigade Cumulative Cleanup Map:
Here’s How to Get Started!
- Complete the Waiver / Exención
- Pick a Location – Choose an area to clean up. You can pick up litter from anywhere – your neighborhood, a local park, a local trail, a creek bed, highway turnouts … anywhere! Join Channelkeeper’s Watershed Brigade Facebook Group or Email us for location suggestions!
- Grab a Clean-up Kit – Your Clean-Up Kit should include trash bags and latex safety gloves. Use your own or request a kit.
- Read the SAFETY & OUTREACH GUIDELINES. / Léa las REGLAS DE SEGURIDAD en Español
- Clean up! – After reading the safety & outreach guidelines, get out there and start your clean-up!
- Report Back – Recording your volunteer effort is important – and super easy!
In order to earn points, share your info by
either:
- Posting to our Facebook group: Channelkeeper’s Watershed Brigade
- Completing this quick info sheet.
Please include:
- Date of Clean-up/Time/Location
- Hours/Volunteer Time
- Weight Of Litter
- Photos Of Litter Collected And Participants
Litter is one of the most pervasive water quality problems affecting the planet and our local waterways. Thank you for helping keep our local watersheds clean and healthy!
