THE URBAN UPSTREAM: Tracking Coastal Pollution to Its Sources

with special guest

Sierra Garcia
Clean Water Program
San Francisco Estuary Institute

You can’t solve what you can’t see.
That’s one of the greatest challenges facing the health of San Francisco Bay.

Many of the pollutants affecting the Bay don’t begin in the water. They start in our neighborhoods, on our streets, and in our everyday lives before traveling through storm drains, creeks, and rivers into the nation’s largest urban estuary on the West Coast.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. San Francisco Bay is home to extraordinary wildlife, but it also nourishes people. Thousands of Bay Area residents fish these waters, and for many families—particularly in historically underserved communities—the Bay provides an important source of food, culture, and connection. A healthier Bay means healthier ecosystems and healthier communities.

The good news?
Once we know where pollution comes from, we can do something about it.

This month at Ocean Hoptimism, we’re following the science upstream to discover how researchers are tracking surprising pollutants to their sources, uncovering hidden connections between our communities and San Francisco Bay, and developing solutions that benefit both people and nature.

We’re delighted to welcome Sierra Garcia of the San Francisco Estuary Institute’s Clean Water Program for an evening exploring The Urban Upstream: Tracking Coastal Pollution to Its Sources.

San Francisco Bay is far more than a scenic backdrop—it’s one of the world’s best- studied estuaries and a living laboratory for understanding how healthy cities and healthy waterways can coexist. Drawing on one of the nation’s most comprehensive water quality monitoring programs, Sierra will share how scientists detect surprising pollutants, trace them back to their sources, and help shape practical solutions that protect the Bay for wildlife and the millions of people who call this region home. 

"Before the Clean Water Act, San Francisco bay was treated as a dumping ground. Even though there’s still work to do, the Bay we enjoy today is a testament to what we can accomplish with science, policy, and funding for a cleaner ocean.”


—Sierra Garcia

Join us on Thursday, August 27, at 7:00 p.m. at Faction Brewing in Alameda for an evening exploring the hidden connections between our neighborhoods, our waterways, and the Bay we all share.

Bring a friend. Bring your curiosity.

Because a healthier San Francisco Bay starts upstream—and all of us live upstream of somewhere.