Opportunities From: Galveston Bay Foundation

Track the tide. Tally the debris.

Join Galveston Bay Foundation and our partners at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to document the debris that reaches our shoreline.

This is more than a cleanup. This is community science and the data you help collect will tell the story of where debris comes from and how it moves through the Bay.

As a Marine Debris Survey Volunteer, you will:

Collect and remove trash from designated shoreline survey plots Help measure and mark survey areas using simple field tools Sort and identify debris by type to support NOAA data collection Record findings alongside staff and trained volunteers Assist with loading and unloading supplies

No experience needed. Staff will guide you through each step of the survey process.

This role involves walking on sand, mud, or uneven shoreline terrain while working outdoors. Dress for the weather and bring water.

Minors welcome. Volunteers under 18 must be registered with a parent or guardian and accompanied by an adult chaperone.

Your effort helps turn today’s data into tomorrow’s solutions for the Bay.

Become a Certified Texas Stream Team Water Quality Monitor

Help protect the health of Galveston Bay by collecting reliable, long-term water quality data. Through this hands-on, full-day training, you’ll gain the skills needed to monitor tidally influenced waters using Texas Stream Team Standard Core protocols.

You’ll work alongside experienced staff to learn classroom and field sampling methods used statewide to track the health of Texas waters, while becoming part of a network of volunteers committed to clean water.

No prior experience required. Supplies and materials are provided. Participants should be prepared for both indoor and outdoor instruction, short walks between locations, and a commitment to monthly monitoring after certification.

Be prepared to help set up the room for training and for an orientation on the flow of the day.

How Standard Core Monitoring Works Participate in classroom and field instruction on Texas Stream Team approved methods. Learn to collect and analyze water samples from tidally influenced sites. Commit to monthly monitoring at an assigned site using approved protocols. Submit data sheets after each monitoring event. Complete a final QC site visit with a trainer following classroom certification. What You’ll Gain Hands-on environmental science skills and field experience Certification through Texas Stream Team Standard Core Connection to a network of local volunteers protecting Texas waters The knowledge that your work informs real-world water protection decisions Training Day Overview

8:45 – 9:00 AM: Arrival, check-in, and room setup
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Classroom instruction on equipment, water quality parameters, & monitoring methods
12:00 – 12:45 PM: Lunch break
12:45 – 3:30 PM: Field demonstration, supervised practice, and individual certification
3:30 – 4:00 PM: Site assignment or scheduling for future site placement

Before Training

Please complete the following before attending:

Standard Core Training Module & Enrollment Form: Complete here ↗ Browse Open Monitoring Sites: View dashboard ↗ After Training

Following classroom certification, you’ll schedule a one-on-one field visit with a GBF Trainer or partner organization to complete your Quality Control check. This ensures you can confidently monitor independently and contribute reliable long-term data.

Learn more about Texas Stream Team through The Meadows Center ↗

Site Notes

This training takes place on Galveston Bay Foundation’s campus in the first building on the left. Restrooms and indoor classroom facilities are available onsite. Carpooling is encouraged.

View parking info ↗

What we throw away doesn’t go away

Even the smallest pieces of trash can have a ripple effect on marine life, communities, and future generations. As the second most productive estuary ↗ in the United States, Galveston Bay supports both wildlife and the people who depend on it.

To help stop trash before it gets into the Bay, Galveston Bay Foundation is installing trash traps at three inland bayou sites.

International soccer games being hosted in Houston this summer may impact the trash that enter our bayous.

That is why we are hosting two cleanups and accompanying surveys on July 16th & 30th as a part of the regional Trash Free Gulf initiative ↗ during Plastic Free July ↗.

We hope you will join us in cleaning up and monitoring trash levels to measure the impact.

As a community cleanup volunteer, you and your team will:

Use gloves, trash grabbers, buckets, and bags to collect and remove litter from the shoreline Participate in a litter audit Work in tandem at a site where we are conducting a Marine Debris Survey, helping remove debris after the survey has been completed in random transects If you encounter them, help remove small plastic pellets called nurdles, which are especially common near the check-in area

No experience is necessary. We will show you what to do.

Restrooms are available nearby at the park. Be prepared to stand and walk for over an hour. Come prepared with a reusable water bottle and appropriate outdoor clothing.

NOTE: All minors must be accompanied by a registered parent/guardian or approved chaperone over the age of 18. Parents or guardians must register and complete a waiver for participants under age 18.

By removing marine debris from the shoreline, you help protect wildlife, improve water quality, and keep Galveston Bay healthier for people and nature.

Site Map & Where to Meet Why This Work Matters

Debris poses a serious threat to this ecosystem. Trash that enters the Bay can:

Entangle or be ingested by wildlife Damage fragile coastal habitats Block oxygen from reaching the water Release harmful chemicals that impact animals and people

Visit onelessstraw.org ↗ to make your pledge to use less plastic this July.

Track the tide. Tally the debris.

Join Galveston Bay Foundation and our partners at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to document the debris that reaches our shoreline.

This is more than a cleanup. This is community science and the data you help collect will tell the story of where debris comes from and how it moves through the Bay.

As a Marine Debris Survey Volunteer, you will:

Collect and remove trash from designated shoreline survey plots Help measure and mark survey areas using simple field tools Sort and identify debris by type to support NOAA data collection Record findings alongside staff and trained volunteers Assist with loading and unloading supplies

No experience needed. Staff will guide you through each step of the survey process.

This role involves walking on sand, mud, or uneven shoreline terrain while working outdoors. Dress for the weather and bring water.

Minors welcome. Volunteers under 18 must be registered with a parent or guardian and accompanied by an adult chaperone.

Your effort helps turn today’s data into tomorrow’s solutions for the Bay.