URI
Watershed Watch program seeks volunteers to monitor water
For more than 30 years the
University of Rhode Island’s Watershed Watch program has worked with local
communities to track the many factors that affect water quality in local lakes,
ponds, streams, and coastal waters and to determine their current conditions. Thanks to the program, much more is known today about how land use, seasonal weather patterns, climate change and other factors affect water bodies in good and bad ways, which leads to better decision making.
The program is now seeking
additional volunteers to conduct weekly or biweekly monitoring from May to
October in the 220 lakes, ponds, streams and bays sponsored by local
organizations.
“It is amazing how much conditions
even in a state the size of Rhode Island can vary,” said Elizabeth Herron,
coordinator of the program.
“Weather patterns in different parts of the state affect our waters in different ways, and local land use has a huge impact. A big storm might hit only one part of the state. And even statewide storms have varying impacts.”
“Weather patterns in different parts of the state affect our waters in different ways, and local land use has a huge impact. A big storm might hit only one part of the state. And even statewide storms have varying impacts.”
“Some water bodies do better under
some conditions than others,” added Linda Green, Watershed Watch director.
“Some lakes and ponds do really well in dry years because there is little roadway run-off carrying nutrients and pollutants into the water. But others need that run-off to flush out pollutants that are already in the water, or entering through groundwater, perhaps contaminated by septic systems and other sources.”
“Some lakes and ponds do really well in dry years because there is little roadway run-off carrying nutrients and pollutants into the water. But others need that run-off to flush out pollutants that are already in the water, or entering through groundwater, perhaps contaminated by septic systems and other sources.”
Herron and Green said that
monitoring water quality is an important way to understand these different
impacts so that communities can be sure that they are effectively protecting
important local resources and spotting problems early.
“We think of monitoring as a kind of
insurance. We hope to never see a problem, but if we aren’t monitoring we won’t
know that a problem exists until it’s far along – and usually much more
difficult and expensive to fix,” Green explained.
For example, since the program began
in 1987, harmful algae blooms have become more common at many locations, like
Warwick Pond in Warwick, Upper Melville Pond in Portsmouth, and Mashapaug Pond
in Providence.
The data collected by Watershed Watch volunteers is now being used to conduct risk assessments of those bodies and others at the greatest risk for algae blooms.
The data collected by Watershed Watch volunteers is now being used to conduct risk assessments of those bodies and others at the greatest risk for algae blooms.
The Watershed Watch program is one
of the longest running citizen science projects in Rhode Island.
Its 350 volunteers play a critical role in collecting data that is used by watershed conservation organizations, policy makers, regulators and state and local officials to make decisions that improve and protect the health of local waters.
Its 350 volunteers play a critical role in collecting data that is used by watershed conservation organizations, policy makers, regulators and state and local officials to make decisions that improve and protect the health of local waters.
Classroom training for new Watershed
Watch volunteers will take place at URI’s Kingston campus on Thursday, April 5
at 6 p.m. It will be repeated on Sunday, April 8 at 1 p.m. Field training will
be conducted later in April.
Volunteers are matched to a specific
location that they will be in charge of monitoring. Every week or two on a day
of their choice, they monitor and test for a number of water quality indicators.
On several designated dates, the volunteers collect water samples that are brought to URI to be analyzed for nutrients, acidity and bacteria.
On several designated dates, the volunteers collect water samples that are brought to URI to be analyzed for nutrients, acidity and bacteria.
According to Herron and Green, many
volunteers work in teams to share their monitoring duties. Monitoring can also
be an enjoyable family activity for parents and their children, and teens can
use it to gain required community service hours.
Ponds, lakes and some saltwater
sites are monitored at their deepest point, so access to a boat, canoe or kayak
is necessary. But few river and stream sites need a boat. Other sites are
monitored from the shore or by wading in.
Watershed Watch is sponsored by URI
Cooperative Extension in the College of the Environment and Life Sciences, the
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and about 40 local
organizations and communities.
For more information or to register
for the training sessions, contact Elizabeth Herron at 401-874-4552 or at
eherron@uri.edu.
Visit the program’s website at http://web.uri.edu/watershedwatch for detailed information about the program and its list of 2018 monitoring locations.
Visit the program’s website at http://web.uri.edu/watershedwatch for detailed information about the program and its list of 2018 monitoring locations.