Volunteer Monitoring
Volunteers will have the opportunity support effort to develop a better understanding of potential causes and sources of local water quality impairments by collecting water quality data and participating in watershed surveys.
Volunteer sampling will be conducted at 10 sites throughout the watershed. Volunteers will be organized and trained locally in water quality monitoring procedures through the Texas Stream Team program. Data collection at these sites will include grab samples that will be delivered to the City of Bryan or City of College Station laboratory where samples will be analyzed for E. coli. Field parameters recorded will include temperature, water transparency, total depth, dissolved oxygen, pH and conductivity. Field observations made will include flow level, algae cover, water color, water clarity, water surface, water conditions, water odor, present weather, days since last significant precipitation, rainfall accumulation, and stream velocity.
A watershed source survey will be conducted to comprehensively assess potential sources of bacteria contribution to Carters Creek and selected tributaries. Ground based observations will be documented and incorporated into a geographic information system (GIS) of the watershed. This GIS will help illustrate where potential bacteria contributions are across the watershed. This information will include notes on observations made in the field, photos taken from across the watershed.
Once completed, this information will be provided to local resource managers for use in future decision making processes.