Humboldt Baykeeper - Humboldt Baykeeper

King Tide Photo Initiative: Nov. 15-16 & Dec. 13-15, 2020

The highest tides of the year - known as King Tides - are coming on Nov. 15-16 and Dec. 13-15. Please join our King Tide Photo Initiative to help document rising sea levels around Humboldt Bay!

The first King Tide will peak at 11:01 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15 at the North Spit tide gage (see below for complete list of dates and times). This winter's King Tides are predicted to reach 8.4-8.7’ but could be higher depending on rainfall, atmospheric pressure, and wind.

Baykeeper volunteers have been documenting King Tides since 2011. To get involved, all you need is a camera or a smartphone and submit your photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Be very cautious of rising water, eroding shorelines, and flooded roadways.

Photo: Expanding erosion under the railroad dike next to Highway 101 at Bracut, Jan. 11, 2020.

Staff Spotlight: Jasmin Segura of Humboldt Baykeeper

Destacado del personal

Jasmin Segura, coordinadora del tour por la bahía con Humboldt Baykeeper

Jasmin Segura does a lot more than coordinate our Bay Tours: she works with diverse communities to create a new era of stewardship where people feel compelled to be informed and protect Humboldt Bay. Thanks to EcoNews for interviewing Jasmin on her thoughtful, caring approach to people and the planet!

Eureka's Broadway Corridor Plan Takes a U-Turn

There's good news and bad news from the City of Eureka. The good news is that the City is applying for grant funds to improve the southern section of the Broadway Corridor to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.

The bad news is that rather than fix the existing roadway north of Truesdale Street, staff is recommending that these problems be put off until new roads can be built west of Broadway. On Thursday, Oct. 29 at 5pm, the City Council will hold a special hearing to hear the staff presentation and make recommendations.

End of Billboard Blight in Sight?

Since 2012, 18 billboards along Humboldt Bay have been removed through hard work and advocacy by Keep Eureka Beautiful, Sierra Club, Humboldt Bay Billboard Bye Bye, Humboldt Baykeeper, the City of Arcata, and many others. And on September 15, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to approve a limited 5-year permit to rebuild a billboard that fell into the Elk River wetlands along Highway 101 last November – after which it must be removed.

Baykeeper Launches Humboldt Coastal Biodiversity Project

Do you love walking along the Eureka Waterfront Trail and the Humboldt Bay Trail in Arcata? Do you enjoy photographing nature? Have you ever admired a wildflower, bird, or insect, and wished you knew its name?

If so, you might enjoy our new Humboldt Coastal Biodiversity Project. It is a great way to contribute to citizen science, learn the names of plants and animals, and connect with other nature-lovers. All you need is a smartphone with the iNaturalist app. This is an outdoor activity you can safely enjoy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click HERE for safety tips.

Thanks to the California Coastal Conservancy for funding this project, along with our summer bay tours (which we hope to resume later this summer if it's safe to do so).

Jolly Giant Creek Bacteria Study Delayed by COVID-19

This winter, we continued our bacteria pollution study with the goal of identifying the sources of fecal bacteria at six sites in Jolly Giant Creek in Arcata. This Humboldt Bay tributary was flagged for further investigation due to the frequency of human genetic material in samples taken near Samoa Blvd. during the Regional Water Board's Coastal Streams Pathogens TMDL Project.

COVID-19 update: Our sampling event scheduled for April 6 has been delayed due to both safety concerns and limited lab capacity. Our extraordinairy colleagues at the Humboldt County Public Health Lab are working diligently to analyze COVID-19 samples. We will resume our Jolly Giant Creek Bacteria Source Study as soon as it is safe to do so.

Mercury Levels in Humboldt Bay Fish and Shellfish

UPDATED! Humboldt Baykeeper has been testing mercury levels in local fish since July 2016 with funding from the California Environmental Protection Agency. We’ve found that most local fish are safe to eat in moderation—with a few exceptions.