Citizen Involvement in Water Monitoring

The DNR is committed to engaging citizens in helping meet our water monitoring needs. This interest in building our information resources through citizen volunteers is shared by DNR’s nonprofit partners, local units of government, community-based water management organizations, and citizens across the state.

A proposal for a Citizen-Based Water Monitoring Network is currently being designed. Three levels of citizen monitoring have been defined for this Network.

Volunteer collecting sample

Level 1 - Introductory (Educational)

The introductory level of monitoring is designed to introduce citizens to the basics of monitoring and educate them about the waterbody type they are monitoring and the connection between land use and the resulting effects on water quality. Data generated at this level may be used for generalized screening purposes but will not necessarily be used for making management decisions. Two existing programs that provide Level 1 Introductory Monitoring are the Water Action Volunteers (exit DNR in new window) program for streams, and the Citizen Lake Monitoring Network (formerly Self-Help Lakes). For wetlands, inland beaches, and groundwater, this level of monitoring will be new for the Department.

Level 2 – Status (one year) and Trends (three or more years)

Status and trends level monitoring will offer citizens a more intensive monitoring experience. Citizens will be asked to follow a specific monitoring schedule, including specific times and locations for monitoring. An orientation session and a formal training session will be provided to citizens who have chosen to commit to this Level and demonstrate the necessary skills. If citizens follow defined methodology and quality assurance procedures their data will be stored in a Department database and used in the same manner as any Department-collected data for status and trends monitoring defined in the Strategy. Because of the Department’s limited monitoring budget, citizen organizations will need to obtain funding to collect this data through DNR grants or outside sources.

Level 3 – Special Projects/Sport Fisheries Assessments

Special projects are those within the Strategy that do not fit into generalized status and trends monitoring. Special projects are defined annually and will have a variety of focuses. In many cases this level of monitoring will require citizen monitors to assess the same parameters described in Level 2, but with specific focus of the monitoring effort (which would differ from status or trends monitoring). Orientation, training, and a skill level assessment are required. The Department will provide citizens with both funding for the work to be conducted and a report of how data were utilized.

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