In an effort to protect and revitalize our waterways, the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program unites volunteers, community groups, and local government in this community science program. Adopt-A-Stream encourages all Georgians to get familiar with their watersheds, monitor impacts, improve streams, rivers, wetlands, and lakes, and inform others about their effect on water quality. Program volunteers gather different types of data and contribute to the statewide effort to monitor our system of waterways. Keep Roswell Beautiful and the City of Roswell are happy to co-sponsor this program locally, offering hands-on training and education.
Adopt-A-Stream is a fun, outdoor, hands-on volunteer experience, but it does require a larger commitment than other programs to ensure consistency and high quality data. Volunteers must attend a training workshop to learn how to sample water correctly and effectively, and be recertified annually by their local trainer to continue monitoring their local waterway. In Roswell, we offer both biological (macroinvertebrate) and chemical monitoring opportunities.
Stream macroinvertebrates, such as insects, mollusks, and crustaceans, are excellent biological indicators of water quality. This workshop will teach volunteers how to collect and identify macroinvertebrates and use the data to assess water quality. During training, volunteers who identify the macroinvertebrates with 90% accuracy and pass the written test with a score of 80% or better will be certified to conduct macroinvertebrate monitoring and can “adopt” a section of a local stream. Macroinvertebrate monitoring is required every 3 months and takes about 2 hours plus a few minutes to the log the data online. The content of this workshop is appropriate for adults and motivated teens; however, children ages 10+ are welcome with adult supervision and family water quality monitoring is encouraged. This workshop may count as 5 hours of Georgia Standards of Excellence professional development for educators.
Basic chemical data such as the amount of dissolved oxygen, water conductivity, pH, and temperature can assess water quality. This workshop teaches basic stream water chemistry and how to conduct various chemical tests using hand-held field equipment. During training, volunteers who collect data within 10% accuracy and pass the written test with a score of 80% or better will be certified to conduct chemical monitoring and can “adopt” a section of a local stream. Chemical monitoring of a stream is required monthly and takes about 1 hour plus a few minutes to log your data online. The content of this workshop is appropriate for adults and motivated teens; however, children ages 10+ are welcome with adult supervision and family water quality monitoring is encouraged. This workshop may count as 4 hours of Georgia Standards of Excellence professional development for educators.
To get involved locally in this program, email keeproswellbeautifulbod@gmail.com. For more information on this statewide program, visit Georgia Adopt-A-Stream.
