Citizen Science- Water Quality Monitoring Training
Monday, July 31st, 2023
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Blankenship River Access Site
***RSVP for Training Required***

WHY MONITOR
Flathead Rivers Alliance seeks volunteers to help with water quality monitoring efforts on the North and Middle Forks of the Flathead Wild & Scenic River. We all seek a better understanding of impacts that an increase in river users, population, and changing climate trends will have on the river corridor. Gathering baseline monitoring data will also help our stakeholder groups determine how to focus nonpoint source pollution education and outreach, and where and how to expand monitoring. Monitoring runs through October.

TRAINING PARTNERS
Thanks to a grant from Montana Monitoring Waters (MMW) we are honored to host Dr. Rachel Malison and Jared Glass from Flathead Lake Biological Station to lead the July 31st citizen science training.

CITIZEN SCIENCE BACKGROUND
Adventure Scientists, a non-profit organization, coordinated a 3-year nationwide baseline data collection on all Wild & Scenic Rivers across the nation using citizen scientists from 2020-2023 (www.adventurescientists.org/rivers.html). On the Three Forks of the Flathead Wild & Scenic River they assessed parameters (pH, DO, TDS, salinity, temperature, Total Nitrogen, and Total Phosphorus) at select sites on both the Middle and North Forks of the Flathead Rivers. Their monitoring project ended spring 2023. Flathead Rivers Alliance will continue those efforts initiated by Adventure Scientists to combine water quality data to have a better understanding of baseline quality, trends, and build a relevant database towards future conservation and management efforts in the Flathead Headwaters (Three Forks of the Flathead River) watershed.

CONTACT
Email us at info@flatheadrivers.org to RSVP for training and/or if you have any questions.