May 2, 2009 FBR’s Water Action Volunteers Learn Stream Monitoring

“Water Action Volunteers” from the Black River Falls area got their feet wet learning about stream monitoring Saturday, May 2nd, at Teal Flowage. The sixteen participants are now part of a citizen-based steam monitoring group that works in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, UW-Extension and the River Alliance of Wisconsin.
Kris Stepenuk, state WAV program coordinator, began the day by explaining some of the basics of stream ecology.  “What happens on the land surrounding a steam, the “watershed”, determines a lot of what happens in the steam.”

A balance of temperature, dissolved oxygen and transparency of the water is crucial to maintaining aquatic life in streams. WAV stream monitors evaluate each of these. Then with a little team work, a tennis ball and a stopwatch they calculate stream flow.
Assessing for macroinvertebrates (bugs) was a highlight of the day. Working together with long handled nets,  teams searched  the stream bottom. Debris collected was found to be teaming with life.
After releasing the critters, participants gathered around a large map of the watershed to select stream sites for monitoring.
WAV data will be entered in an on line data base that is made accessible to many groups and agencies for a variety of educational and planning uses.
June 24th brought environmental educators, students and WAV volunteers together again on the banks of the Robinson Creek for a cook out and stream monitoring review. Participating were Kris Stepenuk;  BRAGS (Black River Area Green School) principal, Tom Chambers, and students; GET high school environmental sciences teacher, Jon Johnson; Basin Educator, Randy Mell, and WAV stream monitors from the area.