Citizen Stream Monitoring Program
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Find out more about the Citizen Stream Monitoring Program and how to get involved.
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/csmp.html
Citizen Lake Monitoring Program
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Find out more about the Citizen Lake Monitoring Program and how to get involved.
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/clmp.html#about
Report on the Transparency of Minnesota Lakes, June 2009
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
This annual report provides the data collected through the Citizen Lake Monitoring Program.
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/publications/wq-lar2-08.pdf
Citizen Monitoring
Minnesota Waters
Learn about the many citizen-based monitoring programs provided to enhance and expand the ability of volunteer citizen groups to collect water quality data that will be useful for local water management and/or state water quality assessment. There is also information about workshops and trainings.
http://www.minnesotawaters.org/index.php?uberKey=300&page=3786
Lake Monitoring: General information about monitoring a lake
Minnesota Waters
Find out more about lake monitoring and why it is important to gather information about water quality in Minnesota’s lakes.
http://www.minnesotawaters.org/sites/default/files/publications/Lake%20Monitoring.pdf
Wetland Health Evaluation Program
Hennepin County and Dakota County
The Wetland Health Evaluation Program engages citizen volunteers to help monitor wetlands in their community.
Volunteer Stream Monitoring Partnership
Metropolitan Council
The Volunteer Stream Monitoring Partnership supports monitoring in the Twin Cities Metro Area, ensures quality data, builds a network that connects volunteers with decision makers, and creates long-term commitments for stream and watershed protection.
http://metrocouncil.org/environment/RiversLakes/Volunteer/VolMonitPro.htm
Volunteer Opportunities
Carver County
http://www.co.carver.mn.us/departments/LWS/volunteer_activities.asp
Stream Health Evaluation Partnership (SHEP)
SHEP trains citizens on biomonitoring in streams using a physical habitat assessment and macro-invertebrates. Macro-invertebrates are small stream dwelling bugs whose presence and/or absence can help identify a stream’s health.
Volunteer Stream Monitoring Partnership (VSMP)
This program is similar to SHEP but is focused more on the metro area.
Citizen Lake Monitoring Program
This program requires minimal volunteer time but provides necessary water quality data which is essential for managing Minnesota’s water resources. Volunteers collect secchi depths once a week during summer in a designated spot. For more information, visit the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Citizen Lake Monitoring Program.
Citizen Assisted Lake Monitoring Program (CAMP)
This program is similar to the CLMP but is more involved. Volunteers collect water quality samples, secchi disk depths, and provide a physical assessment of the lake’s condition. CAMP is run through the Metropolitan Council. For more information, visit the Metropolitan Council’s CAMP website.To volunteer or receive information specific to Carver County contact Greg Aamodt at 952-361-1804 or gaamodt@co.carver.mn.us.
Citizen River & Lake Monitoring Program
Cannon River Watershed Partnership
Due to the size of the watershed and number of streams in the watershed, CRWP is always looking for motivated and interested citizens willing to participate to determine the health and condition of the Cannon River and its tributaries. To volunteer contact Lucas Bistodeau, Water Monitoring Program Coordinator, at (507) 786-3912 or lucas@crwp.net.
http://www.crwp.net/Programs/Monitoring/CitizenMonitoring/CitizenMonitoring.html
Citizen Monitoring Program
Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District
The program provides grant funds to area residents and lake associations to take water quality samples on lakes and rivers that have not been assessed based on state standards, trains resident monitoring volunteers and provides local governments and resident reports on the data collected.
http://www.co.crow-wing.mn.us/swcd/WaterPlan.htm