StreamSmart Volunteer Program

StreamSmart Volunteer Monitoring Signup:

The following sites need volunteers!!  Click on the links below to see a map and photo of the site and to sign up to join the site’s monitoring team

  1. Site 200-Ward Slough- Washington County
  2. Site 201-Middle Fork of the White River at Harris Bridge Road – Washington County
  3. Site 210-Town Branch – Fayetteville
  4. Site 301-War Eagle at Withrow Springs State Park – Huntsville
  5. Sites 307/308-Holman Creek Upstream of Huntsville/Downstream of Huntsville

The Stream Smart Volunteer Program is a watershed wide volunteer water quality monitoring program to assess baseline water quality of the streams and rivers that flow into Beaver Lake. The program guides local volunteers through a standardized process of quarterly water quality monitoring throughout sites in the watershed each February, May, August, and November. Volunteer teams are normally comprised of three to four people, but some teams have as many as ten people on the team who are trained to collect water samples and take field measurements.  The data is collected, compiled, and reported.

In addition to monitoring, Stream Smart serves as an educational and service program for volunteers and the broader community in Northwest Arkansas. The Stream Smart program has been able to contribute to our annual “status of the watershed” Report for the entire Upper White River Basin, of which Beaver Lake is a part.

Monitoring through the program started in August 2012 at eight locations in the watershed and has grown to cover 19 locations.  Plenty of sites in the Beaver Lake Watershed remain available for new volunteers to monitor, especially between southern Fayetteville and Winslow. Volunteers do not need a science background. Individuals are welcome and we can help to partner individuals with a monitoring team. For information, email Angela Danovi at [email protected].

Stream Smart is a cooperative effort between Ozarks Water WatchArkansas Water Resources Center, Beaver Watershed Alliance, Beaver Water DistrictNorthwest Arkansas Master Naturalists, the Stream Team Program of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.

Monitoring

General Monitoring Schedule

Quarterly stream monitoring is scheduled during the first full week of the monitoring month, beginning on Sunday and continuing through Thursday.  Monitoring occurs during the following months:

  • February
  • May
  • August
  • November

Lab Parameters Measured

During each monitoring period, water samples are collected at the site and are analyzed for the following parameters:

  • Alkalinity
  • Conductivity
  • pH
  • Total Dissolved Solids
  • Total Suspended Solids
  • Total Nitrogen
  • Total Phosphorus

Field Assessments

The following assessments and measurements are completed in the field by the team of trained volunteers:

  • Air Temperature
  • Water Temperature
  • Habitat Assessment – “EPA Rapid Bioassessment”
  • Streamflow
  • Macroinvertebrate Assessment

Volunteers Responsibilities

The Stream Smart program is designed for adult volunteers and older children who are supervised by adults to collect water quality samples, record field data, and report data on a quarterly basis. Each volunteer who wants to participate in the Stream Smart Program is expected to complete Stream Smart training with the Stream Smart coordinator or a representative of the program. Once they complete training, individually, or with a team they need to do the following:

  1. Plan for the next monitoring period, the first full week of the month in February, May, August, and November
  2. Ensure you have a full set of supplies to complete monitoring
  3. Ensure you have established communication with other members of your team
  4. At the site complete a chain of custody form
  5. At the site collect a sample and place on ice
  6. At the site complete streamflow (May and August)
  7. At the site complete a macroinvertebrate assessment (May and August)
  8. At the site complete a habitat assessment
  9. At the site take a photo and/or complete a journal entry
  10. Transport your sample to the Stream Smart coordinator or to the Water Quality Lab within 24 hours of collecting the sample
  11. Drop off sampling paperwork at the lab or with the Stream Smart Coordinator
  12. Re-supply your kit with new bottles, forms, and other field supplies you need for the next monitoring period

Volunteer Monitoring Guide of Parameters and Procedures

 

 

 

Field Forms For Volunteers (click to download pdf)

Chain of Custody

Habitat Assessment

Streamflow

Macroinvertebrate Assessment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in starting your own monitoring team in the Beaver Lake Watershed or would like to join an existing team, please contact the Stream Smart Coordinator, Angela Danovi, at 479.295.7717 or at [email protected]