What is Utah Water Watch?

Utah Water Watch (UWW) is a water quality education and data collection program that seeks to increase awareness about the importance of water quality and promote stewardship of Utah’s aquatic resources.

UWW is a partnership between USU Water Quality Extension and the Utah Division of Water Quality that creates a program for the public to cooperate with the UT DWQ in monitoring Utah’s lakes and streams.

Mission & Goals

UWW’s mission is to encourage, educate and engage volunteers in monitoring water quality by providing the knowledge, training, and resources needed to examine the health of Utah’s lakes and streams.  The program is dedicated to the collection of credible water quality data for education and watershed management.

Who can volunteer?

UWW is a free program and is open to volunteers of all ages. UWW has tiers for every level of interest and ability. You can either volunteer as an individual, a group leader, or entire group.  Examples of potential volunteers include

• Teachers and students
  
• Boaters, fishermen, and other outdoor enthusiasts
• Church / Community Groups
• Both rural and urban residents

If you have an interest in lakes or streams and would like to learn more about the water quality and help monitor, then you should be a volunteer!

Why should we monitor water quality?

Water is an essential natural resource that all people, animals and plants need to live.  Everyone in Utah uses water from lakes and streams and the many benefits include drinking water, irrigation and recreational use.  Volunteer monitoring helps measure the condition of water quality in lakes and streams so we can manage our resources.

Becoming a volunteer with UWW has many benefits

• Learn why water quality is important and how to measure it
  
• Record water quality data to monitor conditions
  
• Help protect local lakes and streams
  
• Help state agencies manage water bodies by sharing data

While there are many city, county, and state agencies that monitor water quality, there still is a large need for volunteers.  Even though Utah is a dry state, there are over 2,000 lakes and 14,000 miles of streams! Volunteer monitors can help increase the location and frequency of monitoring events in Utah.

Where can volunteers monitor?

UWW is a state wide program that focuses on lakes and streams.  Volunteers have two options to select monitoring sites:

• Volunteers choose from sites local water managers identified that need help monitoring
• Volunteers choose their own site that they are interested in monitoring, register the site, and get approval from UWW and local water managers

What water quality parameters can volunteers monitor?

UWW will train volunteers about watershed science and how to sample and measure water quality in lakes and streams.  Volunteers will use both qualitative visual assessments and quantitative measurements using standardized methodologies and equipment. Water quality parameters include:

• Biological - Algae, Bacteria, Stream Insects, Plants
  
• Chemical - Dissolved Oxygen, Nutrients, pH
  
• Physical - Habitat, Temperature, Turbidity

How much time does it take?

UWW is a flexible program that needs a small repeated time commitment.  Volunteers attend a workshop to learn about watershed science and how to measure water quality in lakes and streams.  UWW works with volunteers to craft their own monitoring plans for each site.

In general, measuring water quality in the field, recording, and reporting the data will take about half an hour for each visit.  UWW requires a minimum commitment of monitoring a field site once a month for seven months out of the year.  Most volunteers monitor from April to October.  Volunteers are able to monitor more frequently if desired or needed to meet their monitoring objectives.

Interested in becoming a volunteer?

UWW is a fun and informative way to participate in important scientific work.  If you like being outside, learning more about lakes and streams, and helping collect important water quality data then UWW is a great program for you!

To sign up for UWW please fill out the volunteer registration form.

If you have any questions or need more information please contact:

Brian Greene

Program Coordinator

Phone: (435)797-2580

Email: brian.greene@usu.edu