An Unexpected Threat to Aquatic Life in San Francisco Bay? Our Pets.
Pesticides used in common over-the-counter topical tick and flea treatments have been found in Bay Area wastewater effluent at levels that are toxic to aquatic organisms.
The Bay
Why California Can’t Tell You Where It’s Unsafe to Swim
For most lakes and rivers, the state’s official map of fecal bacterial contamination shows data that’s more than a year old.
How Scientists With Cancelled ‘Woke’ Grants Kept Going
‘We basically had all of the banned words,’ one environmental equity researcher says. So they got scrappy.
The Podcast Studio Is Gently Floating in the Harbor
In the aftermath of a psychedelic mushroom trip, Baykeeper founder Michael Herz and Kate Josephs decided to upend their lives, move aboard a boat in the East Bay, and start producing a podcast on the history of the San Francisco Bay.
Saving the Whales Just Got a Little Easier
Thermal cameras just installed in May have been picking up whale spouts nearly every day.
How Would California Forever’s Proposed Solano Shipyard Affect the Environment? Details Are Scant.
The idea is to build newfangled autonomous vessels. Possibly over 1,000 feet long. Possibly as soon as 2028.
Swimming in the Bay: Winter Clean
Even in winter, Bay water is mostly safe to swim in. It smells good. It tastes fine.
With Dams Removed, Spawning Salmon Are Heading Up Alameda Creek
These chinooks are likely hatchery strays. But they are still an ecosystem boon—and flaming-bright symbols of restoration at work.
Split Verdict Over State of the Estuary
This piece was originally published in KneeDeep Times, a digital magazine featuring stories from the frontlines of climate resilience in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. The 2025 State of Our Estuary assessment, released this fall at a regional conference, takes the … Read more
What to Do When Your Highway Is Slipping Into the Sea
Picture a giant Rubik’s cube that costs $6–11 billion to solve. That’s State Route 37.
