MCDS has partnered with the Rock River Coalition to adopt two stream sites and gather water quality data that will be entered into a public database, used by scientists and citizens to study water quality in Wisconsin. Our goal is to have one team of students collecting data at each of these sites. 

Below is more information from the River Rock Coalition website about the citizen volunteer stream monitoring program:

The Challenge

The Rock River Basin faces many challenges to maintaining water quality and quantity including extreme weather patterns and climate change, mounting pressure from urbanization, pollution from point and non-point sources, and threats posed by invasive species. Equally challenging have been efforts to involve the public in watershed management planning and project implementation. The Rock River Coalition believes that we all share responsibility and all have a role to play in meeting these challenges to clean water. Only by working collaboratively can we balance increasing societal demands on water with those of the environment.

Our Vision

The Rock River Coalition works to facilitate public engagement in watershed management through its volunteer stream monitoring program. Citizen participation is the cornerstone of the Rock River Coalition stream monitoring program. Established in 2002, the RRC has trained over 200 volunteers to “test the waters” using easy-to-learn methods developed by the state-wide Water Action Volunteers Program (WAV), a collaboration between the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and the University of Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension (UWEX). Currently, the Rock River Coalition has over 80 volunteer stream monitors collecting water quality data throughout the Rock River Basin.

How it works:

• Collect data at least once per month, May-October. 

  • Junior and seniors will collect data as part of their "Collaborative Science Project" which is an IB Diploma Requirement in April, May, September, and October

  • Over the summer, we recruit volunteers to help collect data. Each team will go out with a teacher to collect and record data at one of our two sites

• Data is shared in a statewide database, and can be accessed at the WAV Stream Monitoring Data Dashboard for community members and scientists. 

  • If you are doing an IA or EE, this is a great place to look for raw data!

Why should I participate?

• You'll be involved with a real science research project. Data collected can be used to help inform policy makers and scientists who make decisions regarding water quality in Wisconsin

• Learn skills that may be useful for future IA projects in IB Biology or Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS)

• It's fun! You get to play outside and wade in a stream with your friends!

Questions?

Dr. Rachael Lancor, Research Program Coordinator (rlancor@madisoncountryday.org) 

Mr. Jake Eaton, Middle School Science Teacher (jeaton@madisoncountryday.org)