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TextVolunteer Stream Monitoring
Help make a difference in our environment! Join volunteers throughout Fairfax County who monitor water quality in local streams. County and state officials will use the data you collect to assess the overall condition of our streams and help determine watershed management initiatives.
The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation
District provides all the training and equipment you need. No prior
experience is necessary. We train volunteers to assess ecological
conditions in streams based on the presence and abundance of benthic
macroinvertebrates (aquatic insects). Volunteers also learn how to take
chemical measurements about nitrate/nitrite and turbidity. Training
includes indoor and field workshops and mentoring by experienced
monitors.
Volunteers can monitor at different levels of commitment. You may choose to assist other monitors when it is convenient for your schedule. Or you may adopt your chosen stream and commit to monitoring it four times a year. We will make the program work for you!
NVSWCD reviews and certifies the data and forwards it to
the Fairfax County Stream
Protection Strategy Program, Virginia Department of Environmental
Quality, and Virginia Save Our Streams.
If you are interested in becoming a monitor, e-mail the coordinator or call 703-324-1422, TTY 711.
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