Save Our Streams

A STREAM MONITORING PROGRAM FOR ADULT VOLUNTEERS

During 1998, the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Fund awarded Project Watershed $2500 to develop an adult volunteer stream monitoring program in Central New York. Although the Select-A-Stream had been funded for only the 1999 year, Project Watershed has continued this successful endeavor. The goals of this program are:

* recruit adult volunteers to monitor stream sites that have not been a part of the students' Save Our Streams effort and have been identified as having long-term problems related to point and nonpoint source pollution
* conduct bi-monthly surveys on five streams in Onondaga County
* connect these volunteers with Project Watershed's existing volunteer students at least once each year.
* make local officials responsible for legislating land use aware of the program's survey results.

The compromised streams selected in Onondaga County are: Beartrap Creek, Ley Creek, Onondaga Creek, Nine Mile Creek and Skaneateles Creek.

Five adult volunteer "Teams" ranging in size from three to five individuals conduct four surveys on each of these streams, using Save Our Streams physical, chemical and biological procedures. The surveys are scheduled during April, June, August and October.

Whereas the students' program is conducted by Bill Legg, the adult program is managed by Les Monostory at hllmono@health.ongov.net or 435-6600. A new DREL/2010 was funded by the Norcross Wildlife Foundation for this purpose.