Cynthia,
You probably won't find the help you are looking for on this message board. These message boards are really intended for teachers and program leaders who are using Immersion. We've tried to provide resources that students can use without having to register on the site.
I don't want to discourage you in your use of the Immersion Web site. We are very careful about protecting students' privacy, so we created a site where students don't have to register or share their information in order to participate.
I'm surprised you haven't found anything useful on our Monterey links page. There are links related to a number of your topics, including Elkhorn Slough and the estuaries that are part of the U.S. National Estuarine Research Reserve System.
Try this page:
What's In Your Watershed?
Regards,
Todd