Courtesy Article

ELKINS, WV – The West Virginia Rivers Coalition is set to hold a Water Monitoring event to highlight 10 Years of volunteer water monitoring in West Virginia.  

An upcoming Elkins area event will focus on WV Rivers Coalition’s efforts to monitor water quality in West Virginia and to educate people regarding the importance of the Monongahela National Forest headwaters.  

On Sunday, October 1, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. at the Large Picnic Pavilion at the Stuart Recreation Area several miles east of Elkins near U.S. Rt. 33, WV Rivers is sponsoring a water quality “Snapshot Day” in the Mon Forest to celebrate 10 years of monitoring water quality across the Mountain State. Mon Forest Snapshot Day is an initiative that relies on the efforts of committed Water Quality Monitoring volunteers.

Jenna Dodson, staff scientist for WV Rivers, explains, “In the past ten years, WV Rivers has trained over 1,000 community members to monitor stream health across West Virginia. These community scientists are the eyes and ears of our state’s waterways, drawing attention to and caring for our rivers and streams.”

The Snapshot Day program starts at 12 p.m. with lunch, welcoming remarks, a presentation on Mon Forest headwaters, and recognition of volunteers who have been monitoring our streams for the past 10 years. By 1:00 p.m., participants will have their monitoring team’s route map and leave to complete water monitoring at their assigned sites.

The data collected will contribute to ongoing water quality monitoring efforts to establish baseline conditions and track changes in water quality over time.

We anticipate the monitoring to be completed by 5:00 p.m.

Additional information regarding WV Rivers Coalition’s water monitoring program: https://wvrivers.org/our-programs/water-monitoring/

Additional information regarding WV Rivers Coalition’s work in the Mon Forest:  https://wvrivers.org/ourmonforest/

West Virginia Rivers Coalition is dedicated to conserving and restoring West Virginia’s exceptional rivers and streams. Learn more at WVRivers.org.