Protecting our water starts with understanding what’s in it. That’s exactly what interns with the Goleta Water Quality Monitoring Program are doing through the Santa Barbara Channelkeeper—testing local streams to ensure our waterways remain clean and safe. Each month, interns visit 20 stream sites across the Goleta Valley Watershed, collecting vital data. They measure dissolved oxygen, pH levels, conductivity, turbidity, and temperature directly in the stream. They also collect water samples for lab analysis, testing for nitrates and bacteria that could indicate pollution. Additionally, they document algae coverage, water flow, and even trash accumulation at each site.