OVERVIEW
Across Wake Forest, many residents are interested in the water quality of their local streams. Many factors can impact water quality, thereby affecting a stream’s health. High levels of bacteria may indicate sanitary sewer leaks into streams. High levels of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus can cause algae growth in Wake Forest and downstream in the Neuse River causing fish kills by depleting dissolved oxygen from the water. Sediment is North Carolina’s largest waterway pollutant. Often observed as the reddish orange clouds in the water immediately following a rain storm, sediment can clog the gills of aquatic life and smother the bottom of the creek bed.
The Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program allows proactive volunteers to monitor their neighborhood streams and determine the stream’s health. Data collected can also be shared with other volunteer monitoring groups across the State.
Volunteer groups shall monitor a specific stream segment for a one year period, with the option to renew the agreement after each year is complete.
EQUIPMENT
Volunteer groups will be provided with monitoring equipment for a one year period:
- Monitoring kits include equipment to monitor the following parameters: Coliform bacteria, biological oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, phosphate, temperature, and turbidity.
- Benthic macro invertebrate equipment includes a D-frame dip net, a bucket, two sorting trays, identification key, tweezers, and two (2) magnifying bug boxes.
- Safety vests and field data sheets to record monitoring results will be provided.
MONITORING
Over the course of the one year monitoring period, groups are encouraged to monitor their site for the chemical parameters 10 to 12 times and Coliform bacteria three times; groups are encouraged to survey the benthic macro invertebrates once a year (in July or August).
After each monitoring date, groups shall submit their recorded data to Engineering staff. Monitoring data will be posted in a database available online to compare data with other volunteer monitoring groups across the State.
Any pollution sources identified by the groups will promptly be investigated by Town staff to ensure the pollution source is eliminated.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Town of Wake Forest is recruiting volunteers interested in helping protect the environment to participate in a new program aimed at improving area water quality. The Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program involves the monthly collection and analyses of water quality samples from sites throughout Wake Forest. Volunteers make it possible to collect more water quality data than if the program utilized only Town staff.
Training workshops are being offered to provide volunteers with the knowledge and equipment necessary to monitor the quality of Wake Forest’s area rivers, lakes and streams.
Among the benefits of volunteer monitoring is the satisfaction that you are helping protect our stream resources.
PROGRAM GOALS
Goals of the program include:
- Informing and educating citizens about the conditions of our streams
- Establishing a monitoring network
- Generating water quality data
- Enabling citizens
- Halting degradation of Wake Forest-area streams.
The volunteer program is flexible, offering different levels of involvement and commitment. Volunteers are expected to share the knowledge they gain with their community, periodically monitor a stream and submit collected data in a timely manner.
For more information on Wake Forest’s Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program, contact Holly Spring, Assistant Town Engineer, at (919) 435-9443.
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