Over a long weekend in May (2019) I travelled to Julien, CA to test microplastic contamination in the San Diego and San Dieguito watersheds. While there, I met several volunteers that helped me sample water in eight different sites across the two watersheds, including the headwaters (in the mountains) and mouths (Pacific ocean) of both rivers.
Volunteer sampling water for microplastics in the headwater of San Dieguito watershed. 
Volunteers learning about microplastics, how to sample water, and store samples in the field.
Over the course of my stay in Julien I drove 600 miles along twisting roads to access different points along the rivers. It certainly made me thankful I normally work along coast lines and easy to access ocean!
Some of the sites had visible plastic pollution in them– how many plastic objects can you spot in this photo? 
Along the beach and side of the rivers there was sometimes visible plastic pollution.
Lyda Harris, PhD 
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