Friends of Milwaukee’s Friends of Milwaukee’s RiversRivers

Citizen-Based Water Quality Monitoring in the Milwaukee River Basin

Friends of Milwaukee’s Friends of Milwaukee’s RiversRivers

Our Our missionmission is to is to protect water protect water quality and wildlife quality and wildlife habitat and habitat and advocate for advocate for sound land use in sound land use in the Milwaukee, the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic River Kinnickinnic River Watersheds.Watersheds.

We are the Milwaukee Riverkeeper®

One of 157+ Keepers licensed by the Waterkeeper Alliance, based in New York

An independent watchdog for the river

Responds to citizen concerns and complaints

Finds solutions to environmental problems

Eventual goal is to have a physical presence on the river, to do more pro-active monitoring, and expand citizen monitoring network

www.mkeriverkeeper.org

Protecting Water QualityProtecting Water Quality

Protecting Recreational Protecting Recreational UsesUses

Water Trail MapWater Trail Map

Protecting Wildlife Protecting Wildlife HabitatHabitat

Advocating Sound Land Advocating Sound Land UseUse

River Clean-ups

Illicit Discharge DetectionIllicit Discharge Detection

WATER QUALITY TESTING PROGRAMS

Goals of Monitoring Goals of Monitoring Program:Program:

Establish a watershed-wide network of Establish a watershed-wide network of trained citizen volunteers monitoring trained citizen volunteers monitoring streams, collecting information in a streams, collecting information in a consistent and useable formatconsistent and useable format

Training volunteers to recognize and Training volunteers to recognize and respond appropriately to questionable respond appropriately to questionable practices (erosion violations, illicit practices (erosion violations, illicit discharges, etc.)discharges, etc.)

Improve the quantity and quality of data Improve the quantity and quality of data that can be used to monitor the health of that can be used to monitor the health of our watersour waters

Recruiting VolunteersRecruiting Volunteers Letters sent out to all Letters sent out to all

past water quality past water quality monitoring volunteersmonitoring volunteers

Targetted high priority Targetted high priority areasareas

Posters distributed to Posters distributed to businesses, nature businesses, nature centers, etc.centers, etc.

Emails/listserves used Emails/listserves used heavilyheavily

Newsletter articles Newsletter articles (FMR, Sierra, etc.)(FMR, Sierra, etc.)

Water Quality TrainingsWater Quality Trainings May 6May 6thth—trained 12 —trained 12

Level II advanced Level II advanced volunteers at UECvolunteers at UEC

June 3June 3rdrd—trained 13 —trained 13 Level I (WAV) Level I (WAV) volunteers at volunteers at HavenwoodsHavenwoods

June 10, trained 20 June 10, trained 20 Level I volunteers at Level I volunteers at Riverside Park, West Riverside Park, West BendBend

Trained 45 volunteers Trained 45 volunteers total at three total at three trainings!trainings!

WQ Parameters MonitoredWQ Parameters Monitored Level II volunteers-Level II volunteers-

monitored pH, DO, monitored pH, DO, turbidity, and temperature turbidity, and temperature (using automated (using automated thermistors). thermistors).

Level I volunteers Level I volunteers measured DO, temperature, measured DO, temperature, turbidity, flow, and turbidity, flow, and macroinvertebrates macroinvertebrates

Volunteers monitor on at Volunteers monitor on at least a monthly basis.least a monthly basis.

Data will be entered into Data will be entered into either the DNR “SWIMS” or either the DNR “SWIMS” or WAV databasesWAV databases

Monitoring Sites in the Milwaukee River Basin

Data was Data was collected for collected for 24 Level II 24 Level II sites by 12 sites by 12 volunteers; 20 volunteers; 20 thermistors thermistors deployed (2 deployed (2 lost)lost)

Data collected Data collected for 24 Level I for 24 Level I stream sites stream sites by our 33 by our 33 WAV WAV volunteersvolunteers

Preliminary Preliminary ResultsResults two potential streams

for coldwater trout introductions: Mole Creek and Riveredge Creek.

Several volunteers’ data demonstrates negative effects of dams on water quality in Grafton (2 dams), Menomonee Falls, Milwaukee (Estabrook Dam), West Bend, and Thiensville (Seminary Dam).

Some potential positive effects of restoration projects (e.g. North Ave dam removal, Trinity Creek project)

Citizen Enforcers?!Citizen Enforcers?!

Level I and II volunteers both

identified problem areas/places of

concern in the Basin (e.g. algal

outbreaks, poor erosion controls,

cows in the stream, etc.), and FMR staff

have tried to address these

concerns and/or refer to DNR staff.

ConclusionsConclusions There is tremendous potential for citizens to There is tremendous potential for citizens to

contribute valuable water quality data to help contribute valuable water quality data to help WDNR and others manage our water resources, WDNR and others manage our water resources, esp. in densely populated areas.esp. in densely populated areas.

In 2006, over 45 volunteers were trained in the In 2006, over 45 volunteers were trained in the Milwaukee River Basin—48 sites monitored.Milwaukee River Basin—48 sites monitored.

Level I and II Volunteers are anxious to continue, Level I and II Volunteers are anxious to continue, and interest is growing.and interest is growing.

We look forward to building on WDNR’s efforts to We look forward to building on WDNR’s efforts to systematize and improve the quality and quantity systematize and improve the quality and quantity of citizen-collected data used to monitor our of citizen-collected data used to monitor our waters.waters.