water action volunteers’ citizen stream monitoring program
DESCRIPTION
Water Action Volunteers’ Citizen Stream Monitoring Program. Water Action Volunteers’ Stream Monitoring. Wav established 1992 UWEX/DNR partnership River Clean ups Storm Drain Stenciling Monitoring established 1996 Diverse group determined goals, parameters, methods. Program Goals. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Water Action Volunteers’ Water Action Volunteers’ Citizen Stream Monitoring Citizen Stream Monitoring
ProgramProgram
• Wav established 1992• UWEX/DNR partnership
– River Clean ups– Storm Drain Stenciling
• Monitoring established 1996• Diverse group determined
goals, parameters, methods
Water Action Volunteers’ Stream Monitoring
1. Provide opportunity for WI citizens to monitor streams
2. Support data sharing for educational purposes
3. Provide a communication network for monitors
4. Support environmental and civic groups in monitoring
5. Increase linkages between volunteers and public resource protection programs
Program Goals
• All groups able to measure
– not cost prohibitive
• Easy to measure
• Well-represents stream health over time
Sampling parameters
Volunteers monitor 6 variablesVariable Method Frequency
Temperature Thermometer Monthly
Dissolved oxygen HACH chemistry kit Monthly
Water clarity Turbidity tube Monthly
Biotic Index(macroinvertebrates)
D-net sampling Twice a year (spring/fall)
Habitat Site assessment Once a year
Stream flow Orange float method Monthly
• Annual training organized locally
• Hands-on
• 3-7 hours
• Parameters: Chosen locally
• Summer check-in picnics (opt.)
• Annual meetings to discuss data results, for fun and for education
Volunteer Training and Education
Partnerships make it work
Map created by Manitowoc Co. LWCD
• Citizens’ groups• Wisconsin DNR
biologists• UWEX-Basin Educators• L.W.C.D.s/Local gov’t• School groups• University scientists• Environmental/River
Groups• Nature Centers• W.E.R.C.s
• Local programs, coordinated by– DNR/UWEX– Counties/Municipalities– Non-profit Organizations– Nature Centers– Teachers– Interest groups (e.g.,
T.U., Sierra Club)
Who’s participating in WAV?
• Helps initiate local program• Provides written methods• Helps local group obtain
equipment • Sponsors Train the Trainer
events • Helps to plan and carry out
local training events
WAV assistance for local groups
• Statewide online database
• Website with stream monitoring information and resources
• Networking: List server & conferences
• Data analysis and summaries
WAV assistance for local groups
Local coordinators’ responsibilities• Recruit and interact with
volunteers– Newsletters, presentations,
email, onsite visits, phone
• Organize training, QA/QC or annual events
• Collect and enter data from volunteers
• Tackle problems volunteers have (with help from WAV)
Volunteer monitors’ responsibilities
• Attend annual training• Sample monthly during
monitoring season• Ask questions• Submit data to local
coordinator• Report problems to DNR resources• Learn about local water• Have fun
Monitoring Equipment• Cost $200/ team• Watershed Education
Resource Centers (W.E.R.C.s)– 19 across the state– Loan a variety of
monitoring equipment and resources
– Training help
Data accepted into the database
• 6 WAV parameters (using WAV methods!), and– pH– Sample time/date– Precipitation (daily)– Rusty crayfish findings– Staff gage height– Weather– Comments
• Educational• Baseline data
– Information about places where there might not be other data
– Red flags– Many eyes in the watershed
• Can result in DNR learning about a potential problem and respond to it before it would otherwise have become realized
Data Uses
• Website • News articles• Annual meetings • Brochures• WDNR State of
the Basin Reports• County LWRM
Plans
Data Sharing Data Use
Turbidity and Prec ipitation Turbidity and Prec ipitation D anmarD anmar Road 1999 Road 1999
Branch R iver, M anitowoc C o.Branch R iver, M anitowoc C o.
D ate
inch
es
0
5 0
1 0 0
1 5 0
2 0 0
2 5 0
3 0 0
0
0 . 5
1
1 . 5
2
2 . 5
P rec ip ita tio nT urb id ityB ase line T urb id ity
Accessing the database
1. Go to: http://clean-water.uwex.edu/wav
2. Click “monitoring database” button
Accessing the database
3. Choose to Enter the Database
The database is searchable by:
•County
•Site
•Stream Name
New and Upcoming Program Additions
• Crayfish surveys (Summer 2004)
• Macroinvertebrate wildcards (Summer 2004)
• Family level identification key (Fall 2004)
• E. coli monitoring (Spring 2005- pilot)
• Understanding River Data booklet (Summer 2005)
Kris Stepenuck, WAV [email protected]://clean-water.uwex.edu/wavhttp://www.usawaterquality.org/volunteer (E. coli monitoring project information)