Morro Bay National Estuary Program

06/05/2026

New blog! Spring marks the busy season for the Estuary Program’s field staff. Our monitoring team tackles bioassessment surveys, expanded streamflow monitoring, and eelgrass assessments, all on top of routine efforts like water quality monitoring, sonde deployments, and more.

Visit mbnep.org/blog to learn about what we’ve been up to in the field during this busy season.

06/05/2026

Spring Field Season Kick Off

Spring marks the busy season for the Estuary Program’s field staff. Our monitoring team tackles bioassessment surveys, expanded streamflow monitoring, and eelgrass assessments, all on top of routine efforts like water quality monitoring, sonde deployments, and more. Even though our schedules are packed, this time of year is always welcomed as our staff are excited to get outside and see how conditions are changing....

Spring marks the busy season for the Estuary Program’s field staff. Our monitoring team tackles bioassessment surveys, expanded streamflow monitoring, and eelgrass assessments, all on top of routine efforts like water quality monitoring, sonde deployments, and more. Keep reading to learn more abou...

05/25/2026

Did you know that all nudibranchs are sea slugs, but not all sea slugs are nudibranchs?

Nudibranchs are a specialized order of sea slugs known for their exposed gills or cerata (finger-like appendages used for breathing and defense). In dorid nudibranchs like the one in the video, their gills are tucked into a plume near the back of the body. In aeolid nudibranchs (like a Hopkin’s rose nudibranch), cerata cover much more of the body instead.

Tiny, colorful, and surprisingly fascinating.

05/22/2026

This week's blog highlights our findings from research on extreme weather events within our watershed. Topics include predictions from the latest research and modeling, as well as efforts underway to help us adapt to a changing climate. Check it out at MBNEP.org/blog.

05/22/2026

State of the Bay 2026: Examining Extreme Weather Events

Every three years, the Estuary Program gathers available monitoring and research data to track changes in our bay and watershed. The 2026 State of the Bay report contains a section focused on extreme weather events, which is an increasingly urgent topic of discussion as deviations from established weather patterns become more common. As part of the report, we take a closer look at extreme weather events within our watershed, predictions from the latest research and modeling, and discuss efforts underway to help us adapt to a changing climate. ...

Every three years, the Estuary Program gathers available monitoring and research data to track changes in our bay and watershed. The 2026 State of the Bay report contains a section focused on extreme weather events, which is an increasingly urgent topic of discussion as deviations from established w...

05/21/2026

Did you spot the newt and its eggs? If you look closely at the extended stem in the water, you’ll notice newt eggs protected in a gel-like membrane. Newts generally lay between seven and thirty eggs, and these eggs appear to have mature larvae.

This video was captured by monitoring staff at upper Pennington Creek.

05/14/2026

The final results are in for 2026! More than 3,500 iNaturalist observations were made by over 200 people in SLO County. Over 1,000 species were observed, many of which are rare, endangered, or threatened. See more results and learn more at bit.ly/slo-cnc-2026 or citynaturechallenge.org.

Photo credits:
Shark: Observation © Andrew Harmer · some rights reserved. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/355953380
Fungus: Observation © leif_richardson · some rights reserved. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/355369885
Spider: Observation by Kristen Nelson · no rights reserved. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/355937199
Anemone: Observation © Andrew Harmer · some rights reserved. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/355925428
Flower: Observation © Zooey Sandel · some rights reserved. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/355954870

05/13/2026

Curious about what’s going on here? Join us this weekend to learn all about process-based restoration on the Central Coast and tour the restoration site shown in the video!

Head on over to the “Events” link in our bio to learn more and RSVP for the Walters Creek Process-Based Restoration Site Tour happening this Saturday.

05/12/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out to our 2026 State of the Bay Science Explorations event last week.

The evening featured seven presentations from Estuary Program staff and local researchers, along with a poster session showcasing 20+ fascinating studies. Thank you to all of the speakers, poster presenters, and event attendees who helped make it such a fabulous evening.

We still have a few more State of the Bay events happening this month, and we hope to see you there! Visit mbnep.org/events to learn more.

05/08/2026

This week's blog is about Noah, our Monitoring Technician. Visit mbnep.org/blog to read about his background, interests, and path to the Estuary Program.