Busting Myths Volunteer Monitoring Survey Results

James BeckleyVirginia Department of Environmental Quality

Common Myths About VolunteersVolunteer means freeVolunteer means poorly

fundedVolunteer means poor

quality/quantityVolunteer means limited

resources (e.g. lab access)

Busting The Myths

In September 2012, DEQ conducted an online survey of non-DEQ monitoring groups

20 question survey designed to identify resource needs and contribution levels from these organizations

34 organizations responded

What Term Best Describes The Water Quality Monitoring Group You Belong To?

Citizen Volunteer- 15

College/University- 7

Federal Government- 5

Non Profit/NGO- 5

Local Government- 2Citiz

en V

olunte

er

Colleg

e/Univ

ersity

Federa

l Gov

ernmen

t

Non Prof

it/ NGO

Local

Govern

ment

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Res

pons

es

How Many Sites Are Monitored By Your Group In A Year?

Values ranged from 1 to 180

880 total sites reported in survey

Average number of sites monitored per group was 27

Which Parameters Does Your Water Quality Monitoring Group Sample For?

Field parameters/ DO, pH, Temp- 25

Bacteria/ E coli- 22

Benthic Macroinvertebrates- 19

Nutrients (N, P)- 15

Water clarity/Turbidity- 13

Other- 9Fie

ld Pa

ramete

rs

Bacteri

a/ E co

li

Benthi

c Macr

oinve

rtebrat

es

Nutrients

(N, P

)

Water C

larity

/ Turbidi

tyOther

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Res

pons

es

Does Your Monitoring Group Drop Off Samples To A Laboratory For Testing?

No- 22

Yes- 1222

12

Samples not dropped off to lab

Samples dropped off to lab

If Yes, Is The Laboratory Operated By The Monitoring Group Or A Contracted Laboratory?

Lab operated by a monitoring group- 8

Contracted lab- 4

Laboratory Operated by Monitoring Group

Contracted Laboratory0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Res

pons

es

What Is Your Group’s Primary Source Of Income To Cover Operating Costs?

Budget Allocation- 10

Grants/ Endowment- 10

Donation- 5

No Funding Source- 5

Membership Dues- 2

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Res

pons

es

How Much Does The Primary Source Of Income Cover Operating Expenses?

100%-12

90%- 4

80%- 3

70%- 6

60%- 3

<50%- 5

Percent Funding Of Total Budget

Res

pons

es

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% <50%0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

What Is The Secondary Source Of Income To Cover Monitoring Costs?

No Funding source- 9

Grants/ Endowment- 7

Budget Allocation- 3

Donations- 3

Membership Dues- 2

Selling Services- 2

Other- 4*

* Includes 2 responses for donating personal funds or volunteering time

No fund

ing so

urce

Grants/

Endowmen

t

Budget

Allcoa

tion

Donatio

ns

Membe

rship Due

s

Sellin

g serv

ices

Other0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Res

pons

es

How Much Does The Secondary Source Of Income Cover Monitoring Expenses?

50%- 240%- 030%- 720%- 510%- 60%- 9

Res

pons

es

Percent Funding Of Total Budget50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

How Many Are Paid Positions, Average Number of Hours Worked and Salary?

Average paid staff per group= 1.2

Average monthly hours worked per paid staff= 37.2 hours

Average monthly salary for paid staff = $898.38 ($24.15/ average)

Average yearly salary per paid staff = $10,780.56

Average yearly salary for paid staff per group = $12,936.67

How Many Are Unpaid Volunteers and Average Number Of Volunteer Hours?

Average number of volunteers per group= 14.2

Average number of monthly hours per unpaid volunteer= 9.4 hours

Average equivalent monthly salary for unpaid position (assume $22.60/hr) = $212.44http://www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time

Average equivalent yearly salary per volunteer= $1,996.94

Average equivalent yearly salary for volunteers per group= $28,356.55

Estimated Annual Expenses To Perform Water Quality Monitoring

$0-$1

,000

$1,00

0-$5,0

00

$5,00

0-$20

,000

$20,0

00-$5

0,000

$50,0

00-$1

00,00

0

$100

,000-$

300,0

00

>$300

,000

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Res

pons

es

What Is The Primary Reason For The Group To Monitor Water Quality ?

Identify areas of good or bad water quality- 13

Education and outreach of the public-10

Response to a specific concern- 3

Advocate for the environment- 2

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Res

pons

es

Who Is The Intended Audience For The Water Quality Data Collected By The Group?

Government officials- 26

General public- 25

Members of the group- 24

Academic peers- 11

Local Partners/Schools- 4Govern-ment of-

ficials

General Public

Member of the group

Academic peers

Local Partners/Schools

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Res

pons

es

How Is The Data Communicated?Online Database/

Smartphone Application- 19

Newsletter/Report- 17

Power Point/Meetings- 12

Research Paper- 9

E-mail/Website- 5

Radio/Podcast- 1

Other- 3 Databa

se App

licati

on

Newsle

tter/R

eport

Power

Point/M

eeting

s

Researc

h Pap

er

E-mail

/Web

site

Radio,

Podcas

tOthe

r0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Res

pons

es

Does Your Group Submit Water Quality Data To The Virginia DEQ?

Yes- 23

No- 9 24

8Groups submitting data to Virginia DEQ

Groups not submitting data to Virginia DEQ

If Yes, is Any of the Submitted Data Considered Level III by the VADEQ?

Yes- 18

No- 4

Do not know- 4 17

3

4YesNoDo not know

Is Your Group Interested In Submitting Data To The Virginia DEQ?

Yes- 31

No- 1

Yes No0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Res

pons

es