GENERAL INFORMATION

Monitoring sites are selected in consultation with local watershed district and soil and water conservation district managers to represent different reaches of rivers and tributaries. Schools conduct monthly monitoring of three to seven sites - generally from April or May through October or November.

Students take a variety of field measurements (including air and water temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, transparency river depth and width) and record general observations of vegetation and other conditions in the watershed that could influence water quality. During these monthly sample runs, water samples are also collected and sent to a certified lab for analysis of total phosphorus, nitrate+nitrite nitrogen, and total suspended solids.