Volunteers Needed For Water Monitoring

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is recruiting volunteers to measure water clarity in numerous lakes and streams and then report back to the agency. The Volunteer Water Monitoring Program is the perfect opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts and those interested in protecting our state’s natural resources. The University of Minnesota launched the Volunteer Water Monitoring Program in 1973 and transferred it to the MPCA in 1978. It has become the second oldest, and still active, volunteer water monitoring program in the nation.

Volunteers conduct a simple water clarity test in a body of water twice a month from April to September. The agency provides all the equipment and training; no experience is needed. The MPCA uses the data to help determine whether lakes and streams are meeting water quality standards, which are designed to protect aquatic life and recreational activities (like fishing and swimming). In some cases, the information gathered by volunteers is the only monitoring done on a particular lake or stream. Check out the MPCA’s website for further details and to contact them if interested.