deployed away from the ribs in a swimming position. Marine Protected Area Natural Bridges State Marine Reserve is a marine protected area off the coast of Long Marine Laboratory. Like an underwater park, this marine protected area aims to conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems. Desalination plant Due to the drought in Santa Cruz in the late 1970s the Soquel Creek Water District has agreed to split the bill with the city of Santa Cruz on a desalination plant. The city has not added to its water supply since that drought so the desalination plant would alleviate the threat of another drought. “Currently, work is being done to build a $4 million test desalination facility at the city's Long Marine Lab.” References External links Seymour Marine Discovery Center About the Center: History Long Marine Laboratory Photographs of Joseph M. Long Marine Laboratorys from the UC Santa Cruz Library's Digital Collections University of California, Santa Cruz Museums in Santa Cruz County, California Natural history museums in California Oceanographic organizations Santa Cruz, California University museums in California Biological research institutes in the United States