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

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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 Coordinator608-265-3887kris.stepenuck@ces.uwex.eduhttp://clean-water.uwex.edu/wavhttp://www.usawaterquality.org/volunteer (E. coli monitoring project information)