Mission & History

Our Mission

Founded in 1999, California Coastkeeper Alliance (CCKA) is a non-profit organization that coordinates, supports and enhances the work of local California Waterkeepers to ensure Californians enjoy clean water and a healthy coast.  CCKA began as coalition of Southern California Waterkeepers, and it has since expanded along the entire coast, up to the Oregon border. CCKA and its member Waterkeepers represent the only statewide-local partnership focused on the health of the state's waters and coastal and marine ecosystems. Coordinating on-the-ground work at the community level with policy work at the statewide level, CCKA protects and expands upon the advances made by place-based Waterkeepers by advocating before state decision-makers on water-related issues important to California’s communities.

CCKA's Board of Directors consists of the Executive Directors of each of the 12 independent member Waterkeeper organizations coastwide. CCKA is a proud member of the WATERKEEPER® ALLIANCE, an international movement with almost 200 independent Waterkeeper programs worldwide.

How We Accomplish Our Goals

CCKA draws strength from the local communities that we represent. We start on the ground, where our member Waterkeepers work, and carry issues of local concern that have statewide impacts to the appropriate decision maker - whether that be at the state or sometimes national level. California's ecosystems not only provide food and recreation, they also sustain the natural, healthy balance our communities and our planet needs to thrive. Using science, law, and policy, we fight for clean water and healthy coastal ecosystems for current and future generations of Californians. 

Contaminants that flow into our local storm drains streams, rivers, and coast eventually impact each of us.  Waterway pollution impacts us when we swim at the beach, fish in our streams, drink a glass of water, or take a shower. CCKA works to clean up the waters that flow through our communities and provide the public with the tools and information needed to hold government decision makers accountable, and to be effective stewards of local waters.  CCKA also tracks down polluters and holds them accountable as well for the contaminants that they release. In addition, CCKA  has worked to restore coastal habitats, which thrive when our waters are healthy.

To learn more about our current initiatives, please visit our Programs page.