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The Volunteer Monitor Project
The National Newsletter of Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring
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This project has been partially funded under cooperative agreement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of EPA, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation of use.
Internet-Available Issues
Subject Index - back issues. (PDF) (6 pp, 58K)
These issues of The Volunteer Monitor can be browsed at your convenience:
Volunteer Monitor, volume 19, number 1, Summer 2008. (PDF) (24 pp, 540K) (Doing Science, Taking Action)
Summer 2008 - Doing Science, Taking Action
Volunteer Research Symposium - Publishing in Science Journals - C-SAW: Free Technical Help - Integrating Science and Having Fun - Outstanding Alabama Water - Clear Creek - Data Validation: Invasive Crab Study - National Conference Report
Volunteer Monitor, volume 18, number 2, Fall 2006. (PDF) (24 pp, 481K) (Observational Monitoring)
Fall 2006 - Observational Monitoring
Human Use Monitoring - Coliscan Products - Construction Site Monitoring - Delaware Bay Oil Spill - Beach Debris - Stream Walk Success Story - Observational Monitoring QAPPs - Transparency Tube Comparison - Horseshoe Crabs
Volunteer Monitor, volume 18, number 1, Winter 2006. (PDF) (24 pp, 418K) (Bacteria Monitoring)
Winter 2006 - Bacteria Monitoring
Methods Comparison Study - Oregon Validation Study - Guide to Bacteria Testing Methods - Kids Conduct "Poop Study" - Microbial Source Tracking - MST Methods - Low-Tech Source Tracking - Monitoring Runoff from CAFOs - Simple Approaches - Texas Volunteers Earn Respect
Volunteer Monitor, Volume 17, number 2, Summer 2005. (PDF). (24 pp, 342K) (Macroinvertebrate Monitoring)
Summer 2005 - Macroinvertebrate Monitoring
Identification Approaches - Case Studies - Live Identification Techniques - Using Leaf Packs - Homemade Sieves - Maryland Comparison Study - Macroinvertebrate Resources - Agency Methods
Volunteer Monitor, Volume 17, number 1, Winter 2005. (PDF) (24 pp, 476K) Data Documentation and Interpretation)
Winter 2005 - Data Documentation and Interpretation
Metadata - Volunteer Certification - Documenting Site Locations - Data Analysis Workshops - Volunteer Data in STORET - Environmental Art - River of Words - Gravelometer - Comparing Salinity Methods
Volunteer Monitor, Volume 16, number 2, Summer 2004. (PDF) (24 pp, 456K)
(The Business of Partnering)
Summer 2004 - The Business of Partnering
Business Approach - Clarity Methods - Rock Baskets - First Flush Storm Sampling - Storm Event Sampler - Teacher Training -
Multi-Partner Network - Partnering with Corporations - Report from NWQMC Conference - Newsletter Index, 1996-2004
Volunteer Monitor, Volume 16, number 1, Winter 2004. (PDF). (23 pp, 437K) (Agency Partnerships)
Winter 2004 - Agency Partnerships
Maine Volunteers Partner with Regulatory Agencies - Using Volunteer Data at NJ DEP : A Tiered Approach - World Water Monitoring Day - The Power of Informal Alliances - IL Riverwatch Looks Back - Pennsylvania Partnerships: Three Models - Minnesota Stream Program Builds on Lake Success - Measuring Clarity
Volunteer Monitor, Volume 15, Number 2, Summer 2003. (PDF) (23 pp, 460K) (Focus on Fish)
Summer 2003 - Focus on Fish
A Social Scientist's Perspective - World Water Monitoring Day - Tagging - Fish Seining with Blue Thumb - Fish Counts - Monitoring Sea Turtles - A Second Look at Invasives - Detecting Sewage Leaks with Optical Brightener Monitoring - Measuring Stream Flow
Volunteer Monitor, Volume 15, Number 1, Winter 2003. (PDF) (24 pp, 383K) (University Partnerships)
Winter 2003 - University Partnerships
The Allarm Program - National Conference - College-Community Partnerships - Virginia SOS Modified Method - Validating LAKEWATCH - Research-based K-12 Curricula - International Water Projects - Citizen Science in Delaware - Cooperative Extension Programs - National Water Monitoring Day - Participatory Research at UNH
Volunteer Monitor, Volume 14, no. 2, Summer 2002. (PDF) (32 pp, 637K) (Success Stories)
Summer 2002 - Success Stories
Protecting a Scenic Treasure - Sewer Problems - Keeping Trout Cool - Paper Mill Pollution - Interpreting Dredging Impacts - Opening Clam Flats - "Soupy" Ponds Cleaned Up - Florida Lake Regions Project - Santa Monica Bay TMDL - Fighting Invasive Species - Secchi Stories - Huron River: Four Successes
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 14, No. 1, Winter 2002. (PDF) (24 pp, 647K) (Monitoring Beaches and Reefs)
Winter 2002 - Monitoring Beaches and Reefs
Beach Profiling Measures Erosion - Surveying the Intertidal Zone o Adopt-A-Tidepool - Beached Bird Surveys - Reef Condition Monitoring (RECON) REEF and Reef Check - Sea Stewards Monitor Protected Zones in FL Keys - Technical: Salinity Methods Comparison
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 13, No. 1, Spring 2001. (PDF) (79 pp, 904K) (Clean Water Act)
Spring 2001 - Clean Water Act
Overview of Clean Water Act - TX Volunteers Use Antidegradation to Protect River - Lake User Perception Surveys - MO Eighth-graders Testify Volunteer Data in 305(b) Reports - Getting TX Streams Listed on 303(d) - Collecting Data for TMDLs in LA and Santa Cruz - Writing for the Public
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 12, No. 2, Fall 2000. (PDF) (64 pp, 524K) (Monitoring Flora)
Fall 2000 - Monitoring Flora
"When Are Plants a Problem?" - Surveying Lake Vegetation - Why Monitor Aquatic Vegetation? - Detecting Exotic Species Invasions - Marsh Plant Bioassessment - Illinois Forest Watch - Periphyton - Technical: Chlorophyll Methods; Integrated Samplers; Air-Dryer for Chlorophyll Samples; Viewing Tube; Sampling Rake
The Volunteer Montitor, Volume 12, No. 1, Spring 2000. (PDF) (66 pp, 784K) (Monitoring Fauna)
Spring 2000 - Monitoring Fauna
Macroinvertebrate Data: Volunteers vs. Professionals - Great Herp Search - Animal Tracking - Bugs in Your Face (Cool Facts) - Recent Trends in Macroinvertebrate Monitoring - NatureMapping - Tracking Bird Use of Restoration Sites - Toxic Phytoplankton Update - Bacti Monitoring Success Stories - Technical: Bug Rack
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 11, No. 2, Fall 1999. (PDF) (72 pp, 814K) (Youth Projects)
Fall 1999 - Youth Projects
Bioassays in the Classroom - GLOBE Program - Large-Scale Watershed Models - Working with 4-H - Aerial Photos - Students Document Road Impacts in National Forest - Monitoring as a Festival Activity - Youth Corps Restoration Projects - One-Day Monitoring Event - Technical: Monitoring Optical Brighteners to Trace Bacteria Sources
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 11, No. 1, Spring 1999. (PDF) (71 pp, 520K) (Restoration)
Co-editors: Delaware Riverkeeper Network.
Spring 1999 - Restoration
Ecological Restoration - Fixing a Salt Marsh - Bioengineering at Paper Mill Run - Monitoring Restoration Success - Restoring a Coastal Scrub Community - Site Selection for SAV Planting - Restoration Projects: Tips for Success - Using Restoration to Teach Science
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 10, No. 2, Fall 1998. (PDF) (71 pp, 874K) (Monitoring Estuaries)
Co-editors: Friends of Casco Bay.
Fall 1998 - Monitoring Estuaries
How Monitoring Changes from River to Estuary - Toxic Phytoplankton: Early Warning for Shellfish Poisoning - Monitoring Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) - Estuary Monitoring in Alaska - Spartina Watch - NEPs, NERRs, & Volunteer Monitoring - Technical: Bacteria Indicators & Methods; Homemade Incubator Update; "Water Tower" Creek Model
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 10, No. 1, Spring 1998. (PDF) (102 pp, 925K) (Monitoring Wetlands)
Co-editors: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
Spring 1998 - Monitoring Wetlands
Wetlands Primer - Wetlands Controversies - Volunteer Wetland Monitoring Around the U.S. - Monitoring Turtles - Amphibian Decline - Protecting Vernal Pools - Salt Marsh Assessment - Wetland Bioassessment: Macroinvertebrates & Plants Also: Results of National Volunteer Monitoring Survey
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 9, No. 2, Fall 1997. (PDF) (68 pp, 337K) (Community Outreach)
Co-editors: Rivers Council of Minnesota.
Fall 1997 - Community Outreach
Moving People from Belief to Action - Outreach Ideas - Crafting Your Message - Working with Native Alaskan Communities - Recruitment & Community Organizing - Media Strategies for Cheapskates - Technical: Tracking Down Fecal Coliform Sources; Automated Flow-Through Sampler; Shallow Water Sampler
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 9, No. 1, Spring 1997. (PDF) (77 pp, 200K) (Methods and Techniques)
Co-editors: Rhode Island Watershed Watch.
Spring 1997 - Methods and Techniques
High Schoolers Identify "Most Wanted" Macroinvertebrates - Test Kit Tips: DO, Nutrients - Waste Disposal - Salinity by Conductivity & Hydrometer - Parallel Testing: Volunteers vs. Professionals - Statistical Analysis
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 8, No. 2, Fall 1996. (PDF) (56 pp, 167K) (The Wide World of Monitoring)
Co-editors: Coyote Creek Riparian Station
Fall 1996 - Wide World of Monitoring
Health Surveys on U.S.-Mexico Border - Monitoring Stream Morphology & Behavior - Monitoring Wetlands - Bird Banding: Assuring Quality Data - Beach Surveys - Coral Reefs - Sea Turtles - Air Monitoring - Technical: Duckweed Assay for Toxicity Testing
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 8, No. 1, Spring 1996. (PDF) (72 pp, 202K) (Program Management)
Co-editors: Bellevue Stream Team Program, Bellevue, WA
Spring 1996 - Managing a Volunteer Monitoring Program
23 Ways to Say Thank You - Getting Started - Developing Volunteer Leaders - Why Volunteers Leave - Stages of Organizational Development - Strategic Planning - Liability Insurance & Waivers - Technical: Lettuce Seed Bioassay; Low-Cost Photometer
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 7, No. 2, Fall 1995. (PDF) (72 pp, 202K) (Monitoring Urban Watersheds)
Co-editors: Texas Watch
Fall 1995 - Monitoring Urban Watersheds
Connecting People with Urban Waters - "Urban Watch" Nonpoint Pollution Monitoring in Texas - Storm Drain Stenciling - Monitoring Paired Watersheds - Restoring an Urban Creekbed - Monitoring Stoneflies in January - Spanish-Language Monitoring Resources - Technical: Calculating pH Statistics; Test Kits for Organic Contaminants; Staff/Crest Gauge; Stream Sentinel ("Fish in a Bottle")
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 7, No. 1, Spring 1995. (PDF) (72 pp, 1MB) (Managing and Presenting Your Data)
Co-editors: New Hampshire Lakes Lay Monitoring Program
Spring 1995 - Managing and Presenting Your Data
Seize the Data! - Using Data in the Classroom - Common-Sense Data Screening - Designing a Computerized Data Management System - Geographic Information Systems (GIS) - "Variability Happens": Basic Statistics - Using Graphs - Packaging Data Creatively - Data Interpretation
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 6, No. 2, Fall 1994. (PDF) (71 pp, 2.2MB) (Monitoring a Watershed)
Co-editors: Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
Fall 1994 - Monitoring a Watershed
Habitat Monitoring - Watershed Delineation - Watershed Plan for Merrimack River - Groundwater - Testing Wells for Nitrate - Estuary Monitoring Using Aerial Photographs - Land Use Surveys - Technical: Homemade Air Incubator; Australian "Turbidity Tube"; Low-Cost Van Dorn Sampler; Displaying Secchi Data
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 6, No. 1, Spring 1994. (PDF) (51 pp, 745 K) (Volunteer Monitoring: Past, Present, and Future)
Co-editors: River Watch Network
Spring 1994 - Volunteer Monitoring: Past, Present, & Future
History of Volunteer Monitoring - National Survey Results - What Parameters Volunteers Test - Beyond Water Quality Testing (Beached Birds, Riparian Habitat, Amphibians, etc.) - Putting Data to Use - Volunteer Data in 305(b) Reports - Mad River Bacteria Data Used by Community - Citizens' Data Helps Set Lake Champlain Phosphorus Standards - Technical: Phosphorus Monitoring; Hose for Collecting Integrated Samples; Water Bath Incubator Update
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 5, No. 2, Fall 1993. (PDF) (82 pp, 775K) (Staying Afloat Financially)
Co-editors: Maryland Save Our Streams
Fall 1993 - Staying Afloat Financially
Effective Fundraising - Drawing Up a Budget - Grassroots Fundraising (Phone-a-thons, Memberships, Events) - Selling Lab Services - Proposal-Writing Tips - Grantwriting for Teachers - Clean Water Act Funding - Building Partnerships - Cooperative Extension Support - Corporate Sponsors
The Volunteer Monitor, Volume 5, No. 1, Spring 1993. (PDF) (64 pp, 1.2MB) (School-Based Monitoring)
Co-editors: GREEN (Global Rivers Environmental Education Network)
Spring 1993 - School-Based Monitoring
How to Work with Schools - Interdisciplinary Monitoring Programs - Action Plans - Getting the Word Out - Computer Networking - Quality Control of Student Data - Student Congresses - Students Against Zebra Mussels - School as Hub of Community - Technical: Toxicity Bioassay with Daphnia; Homemade Water Bath Incubator; Salinity Testing; Correcting Hydrometer Readings
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