WDNR Citizen Based Stream Monitoring Pilot Project: (VERY) Preliminary Results Wisconsin Citizen Based Monitoring Conference, October 5, 2006 Ellison Bay, WI

The Issue Can Citizen Stream Monitors collect data of sufficient quality to be used by WDNR and other agencies for management decisions?

CBM Pilot Project 2006 Groups to gather data using WDNR protocols (Level 2 – Baseline Wadeable Streams) 2006 pilot has 15 groups, 42 teams, 112 volunteers ~180 sites Monitored

Dissolved oxygen – meter pH – meter Water temp: meter (during sampling) Water temp: thermistor (data logger) Turbidity: 120 cm transparency tube Volunteers encouraged to continue to sample other parameters using WAV, et. al., protocols CBM Pilot Project Sampling Parameters

CBM Pilot Project Preliminary Results

General Results Picked 15 groups out of >40 candidate groups 112 volunteers in 42 monitoring teams Orientation, training/certification of all volunteers >50% of teams were “re-certified” Side-by-side monitoring was done where possible

General Results Can Volunteers Collect Quality Data? –ABSOLUTELY!

General Results Overall, volunteers were very successful! Minor Performance Issues: –Timely submission of data –Adherence to primary sample schedule (mostly weather) –pH meter calibration –Thermistor logs and recovery –“Green” volunteers req’d far more attention Re-certification: –Transparency Tube –pH Meter SWIMS Rollout Late –Volunteers couldn’t enter data –Data still being entered; no monitoring results available

Dissolved Oxygen Large proportion (~30%) side-by-side YSI 550A readings outside acceptable error range Temperature readings EXTREMELY consistent

pH All side-by-side readings within error range Calibration confused some volunteers

H2O Temp-Thermistors >80 issued by CBSM Pilot or purchased by groups At least four have been lost (theft/washouts/etc.) –Within acceptable range Timing of removal/download an issue (late in Sept.) Record Keeping (thermistor log maintenance/submission) a problem

Transparency Tubes Most Subjective of parameters Difference in tube manufacture Most streams had high transparency (>120 cm) Highest error rate in re-certification –Reading in direct sunlight

Future of CBSM Pilot WILL continue in 2007 Coordinator will be LTE: 50% WDNR and 50% RAW Will recommend adding 1 more group per region Will recommend adding macroinvertebrates to parameters Issues: –Manpower (coordinator and liaisons) –$$$$ –Controlling expectations of volunteers

Questions?