Begin Your Water Monitor Certification Journey

GBF Water Monitoring volunteer collecting water quality data

As a GBF Water Monitoring Team volunteer, you become part of a community-powered effort to protect the health of Galveston Bay through consistent, science-based stewardship.

By collecting monthly water quality data, volunteers like you can help make invisible environmental changes visible while supporting scientists conducting real research that informs communities and strengthens collective action to protect Galveston Bay.


At GBF, you can also train to become a certified Texas Stream Team Water Quality Monitor and go on to monitor a more inland sites with the support of a Texas Stream Team Partner.

Water Protection volunteers supporting Galveston Bay

What Water Monitors Do

Each month, certified volunteers collect essential environmental data including temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, pH, water clarity, and more from assigned monitoring sites throughout the Galveston Bay watershed.

Depending on their training, volunteers can sample at GBF supported sites or sites supported by a partner like the Houston-Galveston Area Council or the Bayou Preservation Association.

This hands-on work contributes to statewide citizen science initiatives and supports public resources such as SwimGuide.org, helping communities, researchers, and policymakers better understand local water conditions.

GBF Certification Pathway

  • Commit to a 2-year volunteer role, sampling monthly at an assigned site.
  • Complete a one-day Texas Stream Team Standard Core workshop through GBF or an approved partner organization.
  • Review available monitoring locations before registering to ensure site compatibility.
  • Complete a one-on-one field certification session with GBF’s Water Protection Team.
 

We host Standard Core Training and GBF Site Training at least one or twice a year as we are able. Click the button below to view current offerings.

View Standard Core Training Opportunities with GBF↗

Before registering for GBF Site Training: Review open sample sites below to determine where you’d like to serve. Site availability may change over time based on volunteer placement and program needs.

Partner-hosted Water Monitor Workshops

Whenever GBF is not offering direct Standard Core certification workshops, volunteers can complete certification through Texas Stream Team or partner organizations before completing site-specific certification with GBF.

Currently Open GBF Supported Monitoring Sites

Site ID Site Description GPS Coordinates Map Link
80961 East Bay at Frozen Point 3 (Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge) 29.540939, -94.520594 View Map
81045 Clear Lake at Kemah Boardwalk Aquarium 29.548575, -95.021002 View Map
81035 Christmas Bay at 257S County Boat Ramp 29.04855, -95.165262 View Map
80949 East Bay at Stingaree Restaurant Bar 29.482082, -94.605146 View Map
80954 West Bay at Sportsman Road 29.255152, -94.918154 View Map
80956 Clear Lake at Blue Dolphin Yachting Center 29.558397, -95.028258 View Map
81280 East Bay at Frenchtown Road 29.371335, -94.777401 View Map
81042 Galveston Bay at Pier 19 29.310333, -94.79159 View Map
81181 Christmas Bay at Drum Bay 29.012322, -95.218178 View Map
80418 Galveston Bay at Seascape Pier 29.584541, -94.996785 View Map
81044 Galveston Bay at Shoreacres Pier 29.62203, -95.004664 View Map
30007 Offatt's Bayou at Camarone's Coastal Tex Mex 29.279244, -94.834784 View Map
80467 Clear Lake at Lakewood Yacht Club 29.554589, -95.03102 View Map
81160 Galveston Bay at Texas Corinthian Yacht Club 29.529184, -95.003288 View Map
81162 Galveston Bay at Houston Yacht Club 29.619189, -94.999144 View Map
81284 Galveston Bay at Morgan's Point 29.678535, -94.982404 View Map
81305 East Bay at East Bay Boat Ramp 29.575048, -94.555659 View Map

Questions? Contact GBF’s Water Protection Team at waterquality@galvbay.org for certification guidance, site availability, and volunteer onboarding support.