Volunteer Monthly Monitors
Since 1995, our Volunteer Monthly Monitoring Program has been the backbone of CRWA’s work. We rely heavily on our volunteers to take water quality samples on a monthly basis along the Charles River as part of one of the oldest and largest volunteer sampling programs in the country. Once a month, more than eighty citizen scientist volunteers gather at multiple sites along the Charles River to collect water samples, record river conditions, and measure depth and temperature. Our data and analyses helps us study the health of the river and also assist municipalities, environmental agencies, and organizations who work to minimize stormwater impacts and reduce sewage contamination in the river.
Volunteers are fully trained by a CRWA staff member and all equipment is provided. Please keep in mind you may ask to be put on the waiting list for a site that is already filled. At this time, CRWA has implemented precautions and socially distant measures to this program to ensure the safety of our volunteers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Volunteers are fully trained by a CRWA staff member and all equipment is provided. Please keep in mind you may ask to be put on the waiting list for a site that is already filled. At this time, CRWA has implemented precautions and socially distant measures to this program to ensure the safety of our volunteers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Questions?
Amy Walker, TerraCorps Member
awalker@crwa.org
(781) 788-0007 x231
awalker@crwa.org
(781) 788-0007 x231
Available Volunteer Opportunities:Available Sampling Sites 59CS - Mellen St. Bridge, Bellingham 484S - Lyon St./Greendale Ave., Dedham/Needham (backup needed) Other Volunteer Opportunities Needham Regional Coordinator - Pick up samples at Needham DPW and deliver to CRWA office in Weston MWRA Coordinator - Pick up samples at CRWA office in Weston and drive to MWRA Lab in Winthrop |
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2020 monitoring SCHEDULE
- Tuesday, August 18, 2020
- Tuesday, September 15, 2020
- Tuesday, October 20, 2020
- Tuesday, November 17, 2020
- Tuesday, December 15, 2020 (Winter Weather Back-up Date: Tuesday, December 29, 2020)
Volunteer resources
- Additional blank field data sheets in PDF or Word
- Training Manual
- Volunteer Monthly Monitoring Reports and Data
Refresher Training
CRWA recommends that all Volunteer Monthly Monitors review training materials once per year to ensure that volunteers have a good understanding of water quality sampling procedures, which in turn, results in high quality data. CRWA also provides online training as a refresher for volunteers. This refresher is divided into 6 steps, and should take you approximately 1-2 hours to complete.
Step 1: Please review the Training Manual.
Step 2: Please program the following phone numbers into your phone:
Step 3: Please review this year's sampling dates, and enter all the sampling dates into your calendar. If there is a sampling event you know in advance you will not be able to participate in, please let the volunteer coordinator know as soon as possible.
Step 4: Watch the training video appropriate to the sampling methods at your site (i.e. watch only one of the videos below, either the basket sampler video or the pole sampler video):
Step 1: Please review the Training Manual.
Step 2: Please program the following phone numbers into your phone:
- CRWA Office: (781) 788-0007
- Your volunteer coordinator's cell phone (see reminder email)
- Your sampling partner's cell phone
- Your drop-off site coordinator's cell phone
- Contact the volunteer coordinator if you cannot find the appropriate contact information for your sampling partner or drop-off site coordinator
Step 3: Please review this year's sampling dates, and enter all the sampling dates into your calendar. If there is a sampling event you know in advance you will not be able to participate in, please let the volunteer coordinator know as soon as possible.
Step 4: Watch the training video appropriate to the sampling methods at your site (i.e. watch only one of the videos below, either the basket sampler video or the pole sampler video):
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Step 5: Please complete the Online Refresher Quiz.
Step 6: Contact the volunteer coordinator to inform them you have completed the refresher training.
Thank you for taking the time to complete this refresher training. Your efforts help us collect high quality, accurate data!
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