Get to Know your Local Stream with CWTU River Keepers
Do you like being outside and have a passion for protecting our shared water resources? With a commitment of only a few hours per month, May through October, you can become a volunteer stream monitor with Central Wisconsin Trout Unlimited (CWTU) River Keepers, a partner with Wisconsin Water Action Volunteers (WAV).
WAV is a collaboration of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), the University of Wisconsin- Extension and local groups and citizens committed to preserving, protecting and restoring Wisconsin’s 86,888 miles of streams and rivers. Partners gather high- quality stream data and share their knowledge to inform key resource management decisions that impact local communities. The data collected is entered into the Wisconsin DNR’s Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System (SWIMS) online database. Anyone with web access can view the data in the database, which is searchable by county, stream or site name. CWTU has been a WAV partner since 2004 and we currently have 75 volunteers, in 25 teams, monitoring 35 stream sites in the DNR Central Sands Region.
So what does a River Keeper stream monitor do? You’ll monitor dissolved oxygen, temperature, transparency and flow once a month from May through October and collect and identify stream bugs and other critters each spring and fall. The collection of these macroinvertebrates is a good indicator of stream health. We provide all the equipment (except waders) and teach you the methods.
You begin with an online self-guided study which is followed by an in-person workshop (conditions permitting.) Once trained, you can expect to spend 1-2 hours per month collecting stream data. Volunteers generally work in a 2-4 person team and monitor wadeable streams and rivers, often located near their home or within a short driving distance. In person training is typically done at the Wild Rose Fish Hatchery and along the Pine River in Wild Rose on a Saturday in April or May.
Anyone interested in the environment, science, and learning more about streams and water quality would make a great volunteer stream monitor.
The Water Action Volunteers program relies on local groups to coordinate efforts and enhance the reach of volunteer stream monitoring. The Central Wisconsin Trout Unlimited Chapter is one of those organizations and we are currently recruiting new volunteers to be placed on existing teams in Waushara and Waupaca Counties and to start new teams on a few Waushara County sites. The new sites are at Bird Creek in Wautoma, and The Mecan River, Chaffee Creek, and Wedde Creek in Richford/Coloma area.
If you would like to get started in WAV stream monitoring, contact Bob Jozwowski, at bobjozwowski@gmail.com. Learn more about WAV here: https://wateractionvolunteers.org
