Water Reporter • Friends of Casco Bay

WATER REPORTER MENU

Join our community of Water Reporters dedicated

to protecting and improving the health of Casco Bay.

Why We Need You

The Casco Bay watershed stretches from the mountains near Bethel to the Bay’s coastal waters, covering nearly 1,000 square miles. With 200 square miles of water, 578 miles of coastline, and 12 significant lake and river systems, it’s too much for our staff to monitor alone. By becoming a Water Reporter, you assist in observing and documenting vital environmental changes.

Help be the eyes of the watershed.

Your Role as a Water Reporter

As a Water Reporter, you’ll spend time by the water, taking photos and sharing them with us to help protect Casco Bay. Using your smartphone, you can capture and share observations of:

Algal blooms
Coastal erosion
Sea level rise
Pollution
Eelgrass health
Wildlife
and more!

Through the Water Reporter app, your photographs, data, and notes are shared with our team and fellow volunteers, contributing to a collective effort to track and protect the Casco Bay watershed.

Impact of Water Reporter Contributions

Water Reporter observations make a difference. Thanks to this incredible community of volunteers, we’ve been able to:

Sound the alarm on pollution and algal blooms, leading to rapid response efforts.
Uncover hidden threats by identifying impaired streams flowing into the Bay.
Capture the story of climate change as it unfolds along our shores.
Monitor vital eelgrass habitats, a key indicator of the Bay’s health.
Strengthen our advocacy by providing observational data for testimony and policy work.

Every report adds to a growing visual record, evidence that helps protect and preserve the health of the watershed and Casco Bay.

Explore More Water Reporter Issues

Salt Marsh

From erosion to re-growth, Water Reporters track the health of these vital coastal ecosystems.

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Eelgrass

Casco Bay has lost more than 50% of its eelgrass beds. Water Reporters are helping track this critical habitat.

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Stormwater Pollution

Stormwater can carry pollution such as bacteria, road salt, oil, trash, pesticides, fertilizers, and pet waste into our waters.

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Nuisance Algal Blooms

Too much nitrogen can fuel nuisance algal blooms. Water Reporters track key sites where blooms have been an issue.

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Sea Level Rise

Water Reporters are helping us understand where and how rising seas are reshaping life around the Bay.

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Erosion

Water Reporters help us track where wind, waves, and runoff are wearing away the shoreline and threatening coastal habitats.

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Pollution

Water Reporters help us document and respond to trash, oil sheens, discolored water, or anything that looks out of place.

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Wildlife

From invasive green crabs to rare wildlife sightings, Water Reporters' sightings help tell a story of local ecosystems.

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Joining Our Water Reporter Community

When you join us as a Water Reporter volunteer, you’ll:

Receive special Water Reporter email updates and alerts
Be invited to Water Reporter events
Connect with fellow volunteers
Learn fascinating marine science facts

Caring for Casco Bay is a shared responsibility. By becoming a Water Reporter, you play a crucial role in safeguarding our coastal waters. Together, we can make a difference.

How to Get Started

Complete our volunteer waiver form.

This is not a typical app download. Please check out our guides.

Learn to use the app and explore key issues.

4. Start reporting!

Begin photographing and sharing to make a meaningful impact.

What Water Reporters say:

“Documenting algae here has helped me see the Bay in a completely new way,”

Joyce Murty

Water Reporter Volunteer

“The thing that keeps me coming back into Water Reporter work is watching the sea snails crawling around, the tide coming in and out, the seaweed flowing in the water. I think we all need this relationship, this place in the Bay you can champion.”