Volunteer Stream Monitoring

2010 Milwaukee River Report Card:

• Based on our Water Quality Monitoring data for 2010, we released our inaugural Milwaukee River Report Card detailing the health of the Milwaukee River Basin.

2010 Citizen Monitoring Station Reports:

• Level I (WAV) Station Reports
• Level II (SWIMS) Station Reports

2010 Water Monitoring Maps:

• Kinnickinnic River Watershed
• Menomonee River Watershed
• Milwaukee River Watershed

OVERVIEW:

Milwaukee Riverkeeper has established a watershed-wide network of trained citizen volunteers who monitor streams and rivers, collecting information in a consistent and useable format.

We launched our program in 2006 and since that time have trained 230 volunteers who have monitored close to 170 sites throughout the Milwaukee River Basin.

These sites are located within the six major watersheds and subwatersheds of the Milwaukee River Basin; the East and West Milwaukee River Branches, the Milwaukee River North, the Milwaukee River South, the Menomonee River, the Kinnickinnic River, and the Cedar Creek sub watersheds.

We train volunteers at two levels.

Level I volunteers monitor dissolved oxygen (DO), air and water temperature, turbidity, macroinvertebrates, stream flow, and periodically assess stream habitat and stream channel conditions. Volunteers monitor on a monthly basis (at least), and enter their data into the "WAV" (Water Action Volunteer) database, hosted by the University of Wiscsonsin-Extension (UWEX). This data is publically accessible, encouraging and promoting data sharing among groups, while aiding in water quality and water ecology education.

Level II (advanced) volunteers monitor water quality using more sophisticated equipment and enter their data into the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) "SWIMS" database. These volunteers have moved up through the Level 1 ranks or have previous experience in the water quality profession. Level II volunteers monitor pH, DO, turbidity, and water temperature. In addition to using calibrated meters to measure DO and pH, monitors deploy automated thermistors which measure water temperature on an hourly basis throughout the monitoring season. The meters and thermistors (as well as the Level II training) meet WDNR technical specifications for quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC). Therefore, this data can be used by WDNR scientists to aid in future water quality monitoring and water quality policy decisions..

SUMMARY for 2011:

• Trained 29 Level I volunteers
• Trained 13 Level II volunteers
• 80 volunteers monitoring at 96 sites throughout the Milwaukee River Basin

Milwaukee Riverkeeper aims to expand citizen based water quality monitoring in the Milwaukee River Basin, especially in the stream reaches north of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. We continue to identify locations where we have water quality data gaps, and attempt to place citizen volunteers at these sites. In 2011, we began participating in pilot projects monitoring "run-off" pollutants such as chlorides from road salt and phosphorus from various sources, and will continue to monitor these parameters in 2012. Our volunteers not only aid in keeping tabs on our water quality throughout the year, they serve as additional "eyes, ears and noses" in the field, helping to recognize and identify questionable practices, erosion control violations, illicit discharges, etc.). Ultimately, we hope our volunteer monitoring program continues to build on the DNR’s efforts to improve the quality and quantity of citizen-collected data that is used to monitor the health of our waterways.