Thanks to each and every one of you who have already renewed your membership! If you haven't already, please consider making a donation today — we rely on your annual contributions to help us fight pollution, watchdog development, and get people on the water to enjoy Humboldt Bay.Looking back over the past year, we want to share a few highlights: New Digital Humboldt Bay Water Trail Map!Thanks to our expanded capacity for GIS, we launched a digital version of the Water Trail Map, originally developed by Redwood Community Action Agency. Updated with data on tidal mudflats and channel depths from NOAA’s navigational charts, the digital Water Trail Map is easier than ever to access. You can download the georeferenced PDF version for use with mobile apps or a link to the interactive webmap, which can be viewed directly in any browser.Testing for Toxic Tire ChemicalsIn coordination with the Wiyot Tribe, we recently completed the region’s first study of 6PPD-quinone, a tire additive that is extremely toxic to Coho salmon. Vehicles shed bits of tires that flush into streams and Humboldt Bay every time it rains, exposing aquatic life to 6PPD-quinone. Over the next year, we’ll identify next steps to address this toxic chemical, along with the Wiyot Tribe and California Coastkeeper Alliance, our statewide network of Waterkeepers.Protecting the Night Sky from Light PollutionIn August, we successfully advocated for improvements to Humboldt County’s new Outdoor Lighting Ordinance. You’ll find Dark Sky Friendly Lighting info on our website, as well as at Hensel’s Ace Hardware in Arcata and Pierson’s in Eureka — making it easier for you to make wildlife-friendly lighting decisions while protecting Humboldt’s stellar night sky.Humboldt Bay Tours 2025This year we led free Bay Tours for over 400 people from diverse community groups, including English Express, Centro del Pueblo, Eureka’s Community Access Program (CAPE), The Studio/Canvas + Clay, Ciencia Para Todos, Queer Humboldt, Two Feathers Family Services, and the Humboldt County Library Summer Reading Program. Thanks to the State Coastal Conservancy and individual donors for supporting our Bay Tours program!Protecting People and Wildlife from Legacy ContaminationWe continue to make progress towards cleaning up toxics left by lumber mills on the Samoa Peninsula site of the proposed Offshore Wind Terminal and along Butcher Slough in the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. And we will continue to ensure that wetlands, wildlife, and human health are protected from dioxins, PCBS, and other legacy contaminants.The owner of the old railyard known as the Balloon Track in Eureka is finally taking steps toward cleaning up the site – 15 years after we filed lawsuits to block a poorly-planned cleanup. We’ll be watching closely to ensure the site is thoroughly remediated and wetland impacts are avoided or mitigated.Humboldt Waterkeeper was formed in 2004 to safeguard Humboldt Bay and coastal waters for everyone who relies on them — human and wild alike. Our focus has always been on protecting water quality and habitat, cleaning up contaminated sites, and getting people out on the water to enjoy our region’s natural beauty while learning how to help protect the bay and coast.Please join us in the coming year as we look forward to:
- Getting more people out on the bay,
- Watchdogging development, including protecting our coast from recently-announced offshore oil and gas drilling in federal waters, and
- Advocating for cleanup of contaminated sites.
Jennifer Kalt, Executive Director
Jasmin Segura, Bay Tours Coordinator
Sylvia van Royen, GIS & Policy Analyst
