Stream Monitoring Training

Are you curious about what’s in your local streams? Are you planning to go hiking or fishing or just get outside more this summer? Consider becoming a Citizen Scientist with RHA and be part of the science that helps protect our water!

An invitation from Angela Gorczyca Water Quality Program Manager

Dear Volunteers,

RHA is recruiting Citizen Scientists for our 2016 stream monitoring season in the North and South Branch region of the Raritan River (parts of Hunterdon, Morris and Somerset Counties). Our Stream Monitoring Program educates the community, identifies stressed streams, determines the sources of contamination, as well as detects trends in water quality over time caused by changes in land use. This is the scientific data we use to identify and promote conservation activities in the region that improve or protect our water quality.

Our Citizen Scientists are part of a large network of volunteers who help RHA collect data about the health of the environment. Consider making your outdoor experience this summer even more meaningful by becoming an RHA Stream Monitor. It doesn’t take a lot of time, or special knowledge, and afterwards, you can attend RHA’s annual State of Our Watershed Conference in the fall with all of our Stream Monitors to find out about our results. You will learn about the health of the water around you and what you can do to protect it.
We are looking for people to collect biological samples of the critters (benthic macroinvertebrates) that live on the bottom of the stream and to make visual observations of the in-stream and surrounding stream habitat. No prior experience is required. All equipment will be provided. Citizen scientists must be 15 years or older. (12 and up are welcome if accompanied by an adult.)

RHA invites members of the public who are interested in becoming Stream Monitors to attend a workshop on May 21st from 9 am until 3 pm at the Dvoor Farm’s Wagon House in Flemington. We will introduce our stream monitoring program and our protocols for the biological and visual habitat assessments during the indoor portion of the training. In the afternoon, we will head outside to apply what we learned and monitor a stream. During the workshop participants will be assigned to a stream monitoring site. Stream monitoring volunteers are asked to visit their site once during the last two weeks in June.

• If you would like to participate, please register HERE 

• If you would like to receive more information, please contact: Angela Gorczyca by email at agorczyca@raritanheadwaters.org or by phone at (908) 234-1852 x315

Thank you for you time, consideration and support.

Sincerely,
Angela Gorczyca
Water Quality Program Manager
Raritan Headwaters Association is on a mission to protect clean water in the north and south branch of the Raritan River. Join us!

Last modified: April 3, 2022