Have you ever wondered if that creek running through your neighborhood is free of contaminants? You can learn how to monitor water quality for chemical contamination and identify macroinvertebrates for free!
Trained Hoosier RiverWatch instructor Nick Servis is offering a Hoosier RiverWatch Basic Training on Saturday, June 1 from 9 AM to 2 PM EDT. The training will be at the Patoka Regional Water District Office at 2647 N. State Road 545, Dubois.
The morning session will be indoors, and the afternoon session will be outdoors in a creek, so participants should dress for the weather. Participants are asked to bring a sack lunch, and boots or waders if you have them. Snacks and drinks will be provided.
Hoosier Riverwatch tests are simple and safe to use. Nick Servis will discuss water quality and why it is important. He will also illustrate how to complete the simple tests for nitrates, phosphates, turbidity, pH, e-Coli, and more. Time will be spent on the collection of macroinvertebrates, small insect larvae that live in the water. These macroinvertebrates are also an indicator of water quality.
Anyone can become a volunteer water quality monitor. Contact Nick Servis at Vincennes University Jasper Campus with questions, at 812-482-5934, or nservis@vinu.edu.
Preregistration for the Hoosier RiverWatch Basic Training is required. To register, contact Judi Brown at the Dubois County Soil and Water Conservation District Office at 812-482-1171 Ext. 3446 or by email at Judi.Brown@in.nacdnet.net.
Hoosier Riverwatch is a program of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. This training is being sponsored by the Patoka Lake Watershed Committee.
