WAV contact poster

Bringing Volunteers Together
from all over Wisconsin
C
ommunities across the state are
organizing their own volunteer efforts
to help monitor their waterways.
The Water Action Volunteers Program
provides resources to these local groups
and helps them keep in touch.
BAYFIELD
DOUGLAS
ASHLAND
IRON
Locations of WAV volunteer monitoring projects
VILAS
WASHBURN
“It may sound really
corny, but when I do stuff like
this it makes me feel like a
better person inside.”
SAWYER
BURNETTE
PRICE
FOREST
FLORENCE
ONIEDA
POLK
MARINETTE
BARRON
RUSK
– WAV volunteer
LINCOLN
LANGLADE
TAYLOR
ST. CROIX
OCONTO
CHIPPEWA
DUNN
MARATHON
MENOMINEE
CLARK
SHAWANO
PIERCE
EAU CLAIRE
DOOR
PEPIN
PORTAGE
WOOD
KEWAUNEE
WAUPACA
BUFFALO
OUTAGAMIE
Graphic design by Jeffrey J. Strobel and Amy B. Hurley,
UW-Environmental Resources Center.
BROWN
JACKSON
Photos by Kris Stepenuck, Stanley Szczytko, Paul Krahn, Suzanne Wade,
Pam Packer, Bob Queen, Donna Krischan, and David Dunsmore
MANITOWOC
JUNEAU
TREMPEALEAU
WAUSHARA
ADAMS
WINNEBAGO
MONROE
CALUMET
LA CROSSE
MARQUETTE
GREEN
LAKE
FOND DU LAC
SHEBOYGAN
VERNON
COLUMBIA
SAUK
Web Sites:
DODGE
OZAUKEE
RICHLAND
Water Action Volunteers (WAV):
clean-water.uwex.edu/wav
CRAWFORD
WASHINGTON
DANE
GRANT
JEFFERSON
IOWA
Cooperative Extension Home Page:
www.uwex.edu/ces
WAUKESHA
MILWAUKEE
GREEN
LAFAYETTE
ROCK
WALWORTH
RACINE
KENOSHA
Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources
home page:
www.dnr.gov
Biotic Index
The biotic index works by assigning levels of tolerance to
pollution for the different kinds of macroinvertebrates found in
a stream. Some macroinvertebrates can only live in water that is
Monitors use a
net to collect
macroinvertebrates
from various
habitats, including
undercut banks.
well oxygenated, while others can live in water that doesn't have
much oxygen dissolved in it at all. Generally, we assume that the
more organic pollution there is in water, the more oxygen levels
in the water will fluctuate, with extreme high and low
oxygen concentrations at certain times, making survival of
intolerant macroinvertebrates difficult.
WAV's Citizen Monitoring biotic index has
macroinvertebrates separated into four categories:
tolerant, semi-tolerant, semi-sensitive, and sensitive
to pollution. In the biotic index, those macroinvertebrates that are sensitive receive a higher score than
those that are tolerant to pollution. The biotic index
ranges from 1 to 4, with higher numbers indicating
better water quality.
Dissolved Oxygen
Monitors measure the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water. It is
important to measure because aquatic plants, animals and other living
organisms use oxygen for respiration. Dissolved oxygen levels fluctuate
in a stream on a daily basis. Because plants are not producing oxygen
during the night, but oxygen is still being used for respiration by plants
Monitors collect a water sample by immersing a
collection bottle in the stream.
and animals at that time, dissolved oxygen concentrations will be the
lowest within a waterbody just before sunrise. Then, once the sun rises
and plants begin photosynthesizing, oxygen levels rise during the day.
Oxygen concentrations in the water can be affected by such things as
Chemicals are added to
the sample and it is
shaken to mix them in.
organic pollution and temperature changes caused by human
disturbance to a stream.
Habitat
WAV monitors assess 10 different aspects of stream habitat.
Some things the monitors look at are the stream banks,
water flow, attachment sites for macroinvertebrates, and
vegetation alongside the stream. The habitat assessment
helps monitors to define connections between land uses
and water quality. Each stream will have a unique habitat
assessment value that can be compared at a site year-toyear. Rocky-bottom and soft-bottom streams are assessed
separately.
Vegetation alongside the
stream and on the stream banks
is important in helping to limit
sediment inputs to the stream.
Stream flow
Monitors assess stream flow by measuring both the velocity
of the water, and by measuring the average depth and width
to determine the stream’s cross-sectional area. By multiplying
the cross sectional area (ft2) by the velocity (ft/sec), stream
flow, measured in cubic feet per second, is determined.
Monitors measure the
depth of the water every
foot across the width of
the stream.
Velocity is measured by timing a
float as it travels a measured
distance downstream.
Temperature
Temperature can directly affect survival of aquatic organisms.
Organisms use more oxygen when temperatures are higher,
because their metabolism increases, but water cannot hold as
much oxygen at higher temperatures. Organisms also need
fairly stable temperatures for survival. For instance, brook
trout require waters to be in the range of 55-65 degrees
Fahrenheit. Other organisms, such as carp can survive in
waters with higher temperatures. If a stream is subject to a
large or abrupt change in temperature, organisms present in the
stream may die or, if able, leave the area that has been affected.
For best results, thermometers must be read straight on.
Turbidity
Turbidity is a measure of water clarity. WAV monitors use
a turbidity tube to assess clarity. The tube assesses both
the cloudiness of the water and its color. Every stream has
a natural level of turbidity that organisms within it can
tolerate. If turbidity is increased from its natural state for
hours or days, organisms can be negatively affected. For
instance, sight-feeding fish may not be able to locate
their prey, or gills of macroinvertebrates or fish might
be irritated by sediment in the water.
A water sample is
poured into the
turbidity tube.