AUBURN, Ala. – Community members in all areas of the state will soon have the chance to help shape the future of watershed management in Alabama.
Alabama Water Watch (AWW), in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, announces the launch of a new water quality monitoring project in the national forests of Alabama.
The project
The project’s goal is to encourage citizens to discover the national forests in the state by testing their waters.
Mona Dominguez, director of Alabama Water Watch and an Alabama Extension research associate, said the tests that citizens perform, will affect future management decisions.
“Volunteer citizens will gather water chemistry and bacteriological monitoring data on selected stream locations within the national forests,” Dominguez said. “Ultimately, the forest service will use this water data to make watershed management decisions.”
Training Required
To participate in the project, individuals first need to attend trainings and receive certification in AWW water chemistry and bacteriological monitoring. AWW will facilitate three two-day water quality monitoring workshops throughout January and February for Tuskegee, Bankhead and Conecuh National Forests.
Each workshop will highlight information related to the water environment and forests as well as watershed health, pollution and water quality standards.
Dominguez said the second day of the workshop will be hands-on.
“During the second day, participants will head outdoors to conduct monitoring practices and visit pre-selected monitoring sites,” she said.
Workshops
There is no cost to attend these workshops. However, participants must pre-register. Registration is online at the Alabama Water Watch website.
- Bankhead National Forest – Jan. 22 – 23
- Double Springs Municipal Building, Double Springs, Alabama
- Tuskegee National Forest – Feb. 7 – 8
- CASIC Building, Auburn University Research Park, Auburn, Alabama
- Conecuh National Forest – Feb. 19 – 20
- Covington County Extension office, Andalusia, Alabama
More information
Alabama Water Watch is a statewide citizen volunteer water quality monitoring program. AWW is part of the Auburn University Water Resources Center and is supported by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and external funding.
For more information, visit www.alabamawaterwatch.org or visit www.aces.edu.
