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Water Quality MonitoringTidewater RC&D Committee for Water Quality Monitoring
Tidewater RC&D Council first became involved in supporting volunteer water quality monitors with the Piankatank River Watershed Project. From that beginning several other watershed projects including water quality monitoring components in Cat Point Creek, Coan River, Great Wicomico River, Corrotoman River and Hoskins Creek were started. Currently there is a small network of volunteers working through the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay who continue to take, collect and analyze samples of water on the Northern Neck. The data becomes an integral part of the Department of Environmental Quality's database. According to staff from the DEQ, this data is very important and included in the annual 503b report that is submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency each year on the status of Virginia Rivers. Tidewater RC&D Council thanks each of the volunteers past and present who have collected samples and reported the data. Their time and diligence in faithfully collecting the samples and attending the necessary trainings to be certified as a water monitor are sincerely appreciated. While the list has been as long as 18, currently the following are actively taking samples:
Anyone interested in volunteering to be a water quality monitoring should contact the RC&D at 804-443-1118 or email pat.tyrrell@va.usda.gov. They will be enrolled in the next training session with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. |