Alabama Water Watch (AWW), in partnership with the USDA Forest Service (USFS), is excited to announce the launch of a new water quality-monitoring project in the national forests in Alabama.
This project’s goal is to encourage citizens to discover the national forests in Alabama…by testing their waters! Volunteers will gather water chemistry and bacteriological monitoring data on select stream locations within three national forests in Alabama, including nearby Bankhead National Forest. Ultimately, USFS will use this water data to make watershed management decisions in the forests.
To participate in the project, individuals need to be trained and certified in AWW Water Chemistry and Bacteriological Monitoring. AWW will facilitate a free two-day water quality monitoring workshop for those who would like to volunteer for the Bankhead National Forest Jan. 22-23 at the Double Springs Municipal Building.
The workshop will cover information related to the water environment, forests and watershed health, pollution and water quality standards. During day 2 of each workshop, participants will head outdoors to conduct monitoring practices and visit pre-selected monitoring sites in the national forests. Pre-registration is required to attend the workshops.
AWW 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 and to register for water monitoring workshops, visit www.aces.edu/go/Bankhead. Find out more at www.alabamawaterwatch.org.
