Dive Into Your Imagination

Fray Crease says that “nature, water systems in particular, are places of renewal for the human condition.” This means that these water bodies are important for us to protect, and we all have a responsibility to save them. As the education and public outreach coordinator for Santa Barbara Project Clean Water, she works to educate the community about our impacts on water bodies and what we can do to help.

What is a watershed and why is it important? What effect does unclean watersheds and oceans have on people?
A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that drains off of it or under it (groundwater) flows into a common water body (lake, reservoir, bay, wetland, ocean, etc.). We all live in a watershed even if you don’t live near the ocean. Watersheds are necessary to provide habitat for plants and animals, recreation and enjoyment, and for industry and irrigation.The effects of water pollution are serious problems because it causes changes in the biological, physical and chemical characteristics of our watersheds and ocean. Water pollution can harm aquatic life and may cause disease in humans that come into contact with the water.

Urban runoff is one cause of water pollution in watersheds. What is urban runoff and why is it important that we are aware of it?
Polluted runoff is the biggest source of water pollution both locally and nationally. Polluted runoff comes from many different sources such as trash, oil and heavy metals from pavement, animal and human waste, lawn clippings and pesticides and fertilizers from home gardening or agricultural operations. Urban runoff is the flow of rain or excess water and pollutants across impervious surfaces (streets, driveways, rooftops, sidewalks, parking lots, etc.) or across the land when the soils become saturated and ceases to infiltrate. In Santa Barbara, and in many other parts of the country, urban runoff flows into the storm drain system. Unlike sewers, storm drains are not connected to treatment plants and anything that enters the storm drains flows directly to our creeks and ocean, untreated. All of us have the potential to contribute to runoff and water pollution. I have always loved being close to nature and it pains me to see our planet in peril. Nature, water systems in particular, are places of renewal for the human condition. Respect for animals, their habitats and the diversity of life is necessary for all life forms on earth.

What can the average person do to clean up our water bodies? What are some water pollution solutions?
There are many simple and inexpensive ways for the average person to help clean up our water bodies: Avoid overwatering, reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides, take your car to a commercial car wash, sweep up grass clippings and other yard debris, when hiring a mobile cleaning business make sure they contain and properly dispose of wash water, pick up after your pet, properly dispose of motor oil and other household hazardous waste, volunteer to clean up your local creek or waterway, repair auto leaks, report dumping or other pollution to your local authorities, increase pervious surfaces (surfaces that water can sink into) around your house or landscape, install a rain barrel or rain garden, and learn how to properly drain swimming pools and spas.

What is Project Clean Water and how is it protecting our watersheds?
Project Clean Water was formed in 1998 to address local water quality concerns after a string of beach closures due to high bacterial levels. Currently Project Clean Water is the implementing program for the County of Santa Barbara's Stormwater Management Program in order to meet Clean Water Act requirements. Project Clean Water is continuously working to reduce water pollution to protect the health of the public and the environment through education and outreach, public involvement, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction runoff control, post construction storm water management, and pollution prevention from County operations.

Your job as the education and outreach coordinator for Project Clean Water is important, because individuals can play a large role in reducing pollution in local water bodies. How do you reach out to the community to teach them about this?
I love my job because it allows me to be employ my creative talents in helping to teach people about water quality issues. And there is satisfaction in that these efforts may eventually result in an improved natural environment for all of us. Public education and outreach consists of a variety of approaches to reach our community and make residents and businesses aware of the responsibilities expected of them and others including the individual actions they can take to protect or improve local water quality. We distribute brochures and materials for the general public and in the business community where we target construction, mobile cleaning, automotive, and restaurant businesses. We maintain a comprehensive website www.sbprojectcleanwater.org, attend community events, sponsor media campaigns, mark our storm drains, identify creeks at County road crossings, and maintain a hotline for reporting water pollution.

What is your advice for budding environmentalists?
Go for it! The world needs the gift of those who can understand and share the wonder and value of nature.

Biography:
Fray is the Education and Outreach coordinator for Project Clean Water, a program of Santa Barbara County. She received a Bachelor's Degree in Geology and later a degree in Environmental Restoration. Fray loves to travel in search of the world's most remote and unspoiled areas (preferably on the back of a horse), most recently to Mongolia, Iceland, Easter Island and the Galapagos Islands. And when she isn't working (or traveling) she is either reading about or planning her next adventure.

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