Life as a Chemical Monitor
For me, the best thing about being a MCWA member is chemical monitoring once a month. I get to put on my waders and jump in the creek at least once a month! It the once time a month I get to pretend I’m a scientist. Wait a minute, I’m not pretending! I am a scientist! I go out to the field and collect water quality data to gauge the health of the stream. I collect samples of water to analyze specific water quality indicators, such as dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorous which tell me how the stream is doing each month. Chemical monitoring allows me to see the bigger picture. While my site may look like a perfectly normal stream from the outside, the water quality indicators may tell another story.
Each month the stream changes just a little bit; however, the changes are generally more seasonal. For example nitrogen, a naturally occurring element required for plant growth is generally higher in the spring and summer. Nitrogen wreaks havoc on streams when found in large quantities. It causes aquatic plant life and algae to over produce when there is too much in the streams. The plant life then begins to decompose, which depletes the dissolved oxygen from the stream, leaving little for the fish and aquatic insets to survive off of. In some areas of our watershed we see elevated levels of nitrogen in the spring when rain carries nitrogen rich fertilizers and manure from farm fields directly to our waterways. Dissolved oxygen is generally high in the winter when farm activities have ceased.
There are very fragile eco-systems living in streams that I never knew existed before I started monitoring my stream. I know how important water is for us to survive, but I never thought about how important it is for the fish and insects living in those waterways. Just like any good scientist I ask why, when a water quality indicator has changed. I look for the answer by investigating what has occurred over the last month or so in the watershed. The answer is usually out there, but if I can’t find it on my own, there are other MCWA monitors who can lead me in the right direction.
Anyone can be a chemical monitor! No formal training is required; all you need is a passion for the outdoors and an inquiring mind!
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