Getting Started inVolunteer Monitoring:

Overview

USDA-CSREES Southern Region Conference

Lexington, Kentucky

October 2005Linda Green

USDA-CSREES Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring National Facilitation Project

1972 amendment

*= CWARestore and maintain the chemical, chemical, physical and physical and biologicalbiological integrityintegrity of the Nation's waters

P hysi calI ntegr i ty

B iologicalI ntegr i ty

C hem icalI ntegr i ty

Used with permission from Abby Markowitz, Tetra Tech

*Federal Water Pollution Control Act (WPCA, 1948)

Used with permission from Abby Markowitz, Tetra Tech

Why Monitor our Waters?Why Monitor our Waters?

To educate ourselves about our water To assess ecosystem health and human

use To detect early warnings of change To provide insight into the causes of

problems To tell us whether we’ve achieved our

management goals

Volunteer Monitoring: Moving into the Mainstream, Austin TX 2000

Who Monitors our Waters? Federal Agencies

EPA USGS Forest Service NOAA Fish & Wildlife

States Environmental Agencies Drinking Water agencies

Counties Municipalities Tribes Regulated Community

Isn’t that enough monitoring?

Advocacy Organizations Sporting Organizations Watershed Organizations Schools, 4-H

No! Only 18% of US waters have been assessed

Is there a role for volunteer monitors?

Community Educators & Stewards

Citizen Scientists

Photos from (NC) Watershed Watch

“It is in the marriage of credible data and increased stewardship behavior that the true potential and vitality of citizen monitoring begins to emerge.”

-Steven Hubbell, Colorado River Watch

Reality of Using VolunteerCollected Data

•We need more data at a higher frequency of collection

•EPA has encouraged use of volunteer collected data

•Volunteers want to do it right

- Danielle Donkersloot, NJ DEP Vol. Mon. Coordinator

Strong Nationwide Support

USDA CSREES National Facilitation Project www.usawaterquality.org/volunteer

Build a comprehensive support system for Extension volunteer water quality monitoring efforts in the U.S.

Expand & strengthen the capacity of existing Extension volunteer monitoring programs

Support development of new groups

www.usawaterquality.org

CSREESvolmon-list@uwex.edu

Who,What, why,

Contact information for each Extension Volunteer Monitoring Program in the U.S. and its territories

Results of Inquiry to Current Extension Programs on:

• Program Beginnings

•Training Techniques

• QA Measures

• Volunteer Support Tools

• Outreach Tools

• Program Funding

Select Inquiry Results - Funding

< $5000

$5000-$20,000

$20,000-$50,000

$50,000-$75,000

$75,000-$100,000

> $100,000

Extension programannual budgets in 2001

State

Federal

Other

Foundation

Corporate

Donations

Dues

Grassroots fundraising

Extension programFunding sources in 2001

www.usawaterquality.org/volunteer

Online Database:

•Info on online database developed & tested at University of Wisconsin

•Info on what to think about before setting up a database

•Direct links to 22 programs with on-line databases

Annotated Bibliography:

•Studies comparing volunteer monitoring efforts to those professional

•Pertinent Volunteer Monitor articles

•Select EPA Vol Mon listserv discussion archives

Received from:

South Carolina

Iowa

Ohio (Secchi Dip-In)

Rhode Island

EASI (Env. Action for Senior Involv.)

Virginia

“Guide for Growing Programs”-Expanded factsheet format -Hardcopy and electronic formats-Lots ‘o links

Getting Started- about The Guide Why Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Makes Sense Designing Your Monitoring Strategy-?’s & Resources to guide

you Matrix of Monitoring Activities

Effective Training Techniques Additional Resources – equipment and supplies Direct Links to On-line manuals

Building Credibility: QA/QC for Volunteer Monitoring Programs Volunteer management and support tools Outreach tools Finding support and funding for local efforts

* www.usawaterquality.org/volunteer

All outreach materials to date,Including fact sheets, posters, and ppt presentations

Summary of Vol Mon list serv online discussions

So, let’s get started…