You Can Be a Citizen Scientist!

TIMES UNION REPORTS – Join The Watershed Foundation on Sept. 23 and be one of hundreds of volunteers to assist in monitoring water quality at 100 sites throughout Kosciusko, Noble and Whitley counties in one afternoon.

Snapshot Water Monitoring Day volunteers become citizen scientists monitoring temperature, dissolved oxygen and transparency at local sites. You’ll also collect water samples for analysis of bacteria, nitrate, phosphate and pH levels. This year marks the fifth annual event, and the valuable data collected by Snapshot Day volunteers is used to drive action for clean water, according to a provided news release.

Monitoring sites vary from wetlands to large streams – to small ditches through culverts on county roads. Sites have been assessed for their safety and difficulty to access. We have a wide range for every ability.

The event runs from 2 to 6 p.m. We estimate your time commitment will be 2 to 2-½ hours.

At registration, TWF will provide you with the sampling materials and more information on your testing sites!

You can register at https://watershedfoundation.org/opportunity/snapshot-water-monitoring-day/ or by contacting TWF at admin@watershedfoundation.org or 574-834-3242.

TWF was founded in 1997 to protect and improve water quality in the Upper Tippecanoe River Watershed, spanning from Crooked Lake in Whitley County to the Warsaw-Winona area. Over the past 24 years, TWF has worked with farmers and lake residents to implement over 200 water quality improvement projects. In the last five years alone, these efforts have prevented over 1 billion pounds of weeds and algae from growing in area lakes and streams.