Community volunteers aid circulation study at Pillar Point

Outgoing outdoor enthusiasts trekked from as far south as Monterey and as far north as Sacramento over the weekend to volunteer assistance in a massive circulation study of Pillar Point Harbor. Coordinated by the county Resource Conservation District, the study was aimed at mapping the flow of dye in and around the harbor as a model for how fecal contaminants might travel. More than 15 gallons of colored dyes were released along with floating citrus fruit, both of which were observed and collected by volunteers throughout the three-day experiment. Experts hope the samples will provide intelligence as to the sources, magnitude and circulation of fecal pollutants in harbor waters.