Workshops available for the Sandusky and Maumee rivers
http://ohiodnr.gov/news/post/volunteers-needed-to-sample-water-quality-on-ohio-s-scenic-rivers
COLUMBUS, OH - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Scenic Rivers program is seeking volunteers to conduct water quality monitoring on the Maumee and Sandusky rivers.
Local community residents interested in helping with stream quality monitoring (SQM) are invited to attend workshops. Volunteers will be trained to sample the water quality by learning how to seine (net) and identify the aquatic macro-invertebrates (insects) that live in the rivers. The type, number and diversity of these aquatic macro-invertebrates are indicators of water quality. The data that these volunteer monitors collect is published in an online annual report.
Each year, volunteers assist with the collection of small aquatic organisms to determine their type, distribution and abundance in designated portions of Ohio’s scenic rivers. The organisms are then returned to the water, and the data collected is used to help determine the health of that portion of a stream. Much of this SQM effort is supported by local volunteers. Reports from previous years can be viewed on the ODNR website at: http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/sqm.
The SQM workshop provides interested volunteers with free training covering how to check for changes in water quality and aquatic habitat as well as learning about the aquatic inhabitants found in our state’s scenic rivers. Training includes learning how to fill out and submit report forms as well as more information about Ohio’s scenic rivers. Interested participants are asked to pre-register and attend a SQM training workshop. Wear old clothes and closed-toe shoes as this activity occurs by wading in very shallow portions of streams. SQM workshop locations are listed below:
Sandusky River
June 18: Wolf Creek Park, Boating Access area, 6-8 p.m.
July 19: St. Johns Scenic River Area at the intersection of County Road 6 and Township Road 131, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Maumee River
June 21: Farnsworth Metropark, Roche de Bout Area, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 23: Independence Dam, 6-8 p.m.
More information on the SQM workshops and Ohio’s scenic rivers are available athttp://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/scenicrivers.
Spots are still open for the kickoff of Paddle Ohio on the Sandusky River next Sunday, June 22, at 1 p.m. For more information on the Paddle Ohio initiative and the kickoff events around the state, please go topaddle.ohiodnr.gov.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.