Monitoring and Data Production
Water quality monitoring is the most common form of citizen science activity among watershed and waterbody protection organizations. Most organizations dedicated to their local waters participate in water quality monitoring activities at some level. Many organizations monitor because they want to know the quality and condition of their local waterbody and the aquatic communities that live there. Volunteer water monitoring is also a popular and effective public engagement and education vehicle, and a great way to connect communities and students with their local waters. Citizen scientists are also capable of performing monitoring at higher, professional levels, helping them prioritize and measure the effectiveness of restoration activities, contribute to our understanding of the health of our waters, and providing data that allows pollutants to be identified and streams to be assessed for their health under the Clean Water Act.
Quality Control and Quality Assurance
Find links and resources to help you develop a quality assurance project plan for your monitoring programs.
Learn more with EPA’s Quality Assurance Handbook and Guidance Documents.
Apps for Monitoring
Find apps designed for different aspects of water quality modeling that you can either adopt or use as a model for developing your own apps
Novel Monitoring Technologies
Between government, research, and the private sector, advancements in monitoring technologies are being made every day. Learn about major areas of development and new technologies to help you collect your data.
Putting Your Data to Its Most Effective Uses
Data collection and analysis are crucial to understanding the health of your watershed. How can you use data to help inform decisions, educate the public, and grab the attention of local leaders and funders? In this series, learn ways to use different types of data products and visualization tools to create eye-catching visuals that tell a story to your target audience. Watch the full series.
Data Visualization Tools: Google Data Studio
This web training will introduce participants to Google Data Studio, a free service that allows users to easily create and host live data dashboards, reports, and other data visualizations on your website.
Communicating and Visualizing Water Quality Data
In this webinar, you will learn the basics of data visualization, graphic design, and communicating science to a broader audience. Data visualization tools will focus on free or low-cost programs that are relatively easy to use by volunteers or laypeople.
