Streamwatch is a citizen science water monitoring program that enables community groups to monitor the quality and health of local waterways.
Connecting People with our Waterways
A Local Community Citizen Science Water Program
Monitors the health of waterways and riparian areas
Provides pollution and biosecurity alerts to authorities
Supplies long term environmental data for planning
Connects people and nature with a practical purpose
Eyes and ears on our water
The Streamwatch Process in Our Waterways
Equipment + People + Education = Publicly Accessible Results + Reliable Alerts
The Role of Streamwatch
By empowering local citizens to monitor the health of their waterways and contribute valuable data to the scientific community, Streamwatch helps to raise awareness about the importance of water quality monitoring and conservation, and ultimately supports efforts to protect and preserve our waterways for future generations.
What has changed with Streamwatch
- Comparison with professional water testing equipment done for the long term Standard Kit
- New Alert Kit to engage all kids and adults: quicker, cheaper, no chemicals, instant results to upload via app
- Rapid riparian assessment and options to participate in blitzes for waterbugs, micro-plastics and others
History and Results
Streamwatch was initiated by Sydney Water and the Sydney Catchment Authority. From it’s humble beginnings, Streamwatch started with a trial of 15 schools in 1990. This led to Waterwatch Australia as the umbrella coordinating group. Streamwatch was move to GSL in 2019.
Since it’s formation, 31,000 data sets to the online database have been collected and cleaned to provide 12,000 consistent data sets, which will be uploaded to the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA). Much of the data is already in SEED (NSW Government’s portal for Sharing and Enabling Environmental Data).
This program has strong quality assurance elements built in to ensure that results are sound, reliable and useful. All Streamwatch groups are required to follow the same methods and use approved equipment to sample and then enter their results into the Streamwatch website.
Streamwatch on Instagram
We are on Instagram
Courtney Gerken is our amazing volunteer highlight for this week. Courtney has been a volunteer for the Stream Watch program for just over a year and a half. Courtney felt that joining Stream Watch would be the perfect way to meld her passion for birds, fish, and all other aquatic life with her desire to help keep Alaska beautiful.
A significant Stream Watch memory for Courtney was during a floating cleanup with coordinators and other volunteers. The group was attempting to take a photo to help remember the day, however, Courtney didn`t lose focus. While the rest of the group gathered together for the photo, Courtney couldn`t pull herself away from the stream-side litter. The best she could do was concentrate her efforts towards the outer edge of the photo so she could continue to clean the stream while the picture was taken. Swipe to see the famous photo! The program greatly appreciates Courtney’s dedication and love for helping to keep our waterways healthy.
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Time for another awesome volunteer highlight featuring Skye High!
Skye’s love for nature is what originally brought her to the Stream Watch program 5 years ago. Skye had a strong need to support a cause that she felt was personally meaningful, and after meeting former Stream Watch Coordinator, Alice Main, she knew Stream Watch would fit the bill.
Skye’s most significant Stream Watch memory occurred this last season when she was removing weights and hooks from fishing line to be recycled. Skye looked up from her task to see three yearling grizzly bears attracted to the smell of fish in the parking lot. Skye was able to deter the bears and protect her hard work at the same time. We want to thank Skye for all the work and smiles she has brought to the program!
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Super Sally Tachick is the volunteer picked to shine this week for our volunteer highlight.
Sally had a friend convince her to start volunteering for the Stream Watch program, but it didn’t take much before she was hooked. After her first season, Sally felt the program was extremely worthwhile and has chosen to return for volunteering every year since. After 9 years with Stream Watch, Sally takes pride in being one of the first volunteers to hit the river each season to get a head start on clearing line from the river before water levels rise. Sally’s favorite activity through the Stream Watch program was being able to participate in the Kenai River floating cleanup to help hit spots that aren’t regularly accessible by foot.
#volunteerappreciation #streamwatch #volunteersmakeadifference #volunteer #volunteering #Kenaiwatershed #salmon #stewardship #environment #habitat #sockeyesalmon #kingsalmon #soldotna #russianriver #cooperlanding #kenaipeninsula #kenai #outreach #alaska #fish #communityservice #getinvolved #sterling #getoutside #nature #ABCcoastalcode #nationalforestfoundation #EVOST #usfs #NFHP
We are featuring the other half of the dynamic Albright duo for this weeks volunteer highlight: Marilyn Albright!
Marilyn, like her husband David, was originally drawn towards Stream Watch after completing a trash clean-up with the local rotary club. Marilyn enjoyed the clean-up so much that she wanted to find avenues to preform this kind of work on a more regular basis. Marilyn felt Stream Watch was the perfect fit and allowed her to get outside, interact with so many new faces, and do something she felt was leaving a positive impact. Marilyn gains enjoyment from watching people catch fish and appreciating the areas she has a hand in protecting. She also loves to find little bonus items during patrols like tent stakes, working flashlights, or other fun items that have been left behind.
#volunteerappreciation #streamwatch #volunteersmakeadifference #volunteer #volunteering #Kenaiwatershed #salmon #stewardship #environment #habitat #sockeyesalmon #kingsalmon #soldotna #russianriver #cooperlanding #kenaipeninsula #kenai #outreach #alaska #fish #communityservice #getinvolved #sterling #getoutside #nature #ABCcoastalcode #nationalforestfoundation #EVOST #usfs #NFHP
Diane Taylor is the the star of this week’s volunteer highlight!
Diane has been volunteering with Stream Watch for many years, but her roots go much deeper. Diane and her husband Dan, who has a volunteer highlight to come, have been cleaning up Kenai Peninsula beaches since before Stream Watch’s creation. Diane appreciates and contributes to the Kenai Watershed Forum’s efforts to educate and inform the public about local issues and best stewardship practices. Although much of Diane’s time is spent on Cook Inlet beaches, one of her most significant memories with the program was a floating cleanup on the Kenai. During the cleanup she was happy to see black bears, meet other volunteers, and enjoy being on the river while leaving a positive impact at the same time.
#volunteerappreciation #streamwatch #volunteersmakeadifference #volunteer #volunteering #Kenaiwatershed #salmon #stewardship #environment #habitat #sockeyesalmon #kingsalmon #soldotna #russianriver #cooperlanding #kenaipeninsula #kenai #outreach #alaska #fish #communityservice #getinvolved #sterling #getoutside #nature #ABCcoastalcode #nationalforestfoundation #EVOST #usfs #NFHP
Don`t forget tomorrow Garguree Swampcare 9.30am to 12.30pm....This Sunday (Feb 5, 2023) our first bush regeneration day is on at Garguree Swampcare. We meet and commence at 9.30am Gully Heritage Centre Gates Avenue Katoomba. We finish by 12.30pm please bring a reusable water bottle, wear a hat and bring some morning tea for a sit down at the end. No bird walk this month. We are aiming to do a streamwatch session at 11am whilst people are regenerating the bush. All over bar the smiles by 12.30pm. Yadhung Nyii to all of those people who voluntarily join us each month to care for and restore Country. #garguree #gargureeswampcare #thegullykatoomba #bushcare #landcare #swampcare #keepthecampfiresburning #gullytraditionalowners #landcarensw #landcareaustralia #thegullywalk #thegullywalkkatoomba #water #streamwatch #birdlife #turtles #crayfish #ducks #frogs #volunteering
Reminder....This Sunday (Feb 5, 2023) our first bush regeneration day is on at Garguree Swampcare. We meet and commence at 9.30am Gully Heritage Centre Gates Avenue Katoomba. We finish by 12.30pm please bring a reusable water bottle, wear a hat and bring some morning tea for a sit down at the end. No bird walk this month. We are aiming to do a streamwatch session at 11am whilst people are regenerating the bush. All over bar the smiles by 12.30pm. Yadhung Nyii to all of those people who voluntarily join us each month to care for and restore Country. #garguree #gargureeswampcare #thegullykatoomba #bushcare #landcare #swampcare #keepthecampfiresburning #gullytraditionalowners #landcarensw #landcareaustralia #thegullywalk #thegullywalkkatoomba #water #streamwatch #birdlife #turtles #crayfish #ducks #frogs #volunteering
For this weeks volunteer nightlight, we have Kay Gardner!
Each spring as the snow begins to melt, Kay finds herself looking forward to getting back into her volunteer uniform. One reason she loves volunteering with Stream Watch is that it allows her to work with her friends she rarely gets to see during the off season. Kay has been volunteering for Stream Watch for over 12 years and is an expert at clearing the riverbed of fishing line from previous seasons before the river rises. Kay originally heard about the Kenai Watershed Forum through an article in the newspaper and here we are using Instagram 12 years later to thank her for all the hard work she has done for the program!
#volunteerappreciation #streamwatch #volunteersmakeadifference #volunteer #volunteering #Kenaiwatershed #salmon #stewardship #environment #habitat #sockeyesalmon #kingsalmon #soldotna #russianriver #cooperlanding #kenaipeninsula #kenai #outreach #alaska #fish #communityservice #getinvolved #sterling #getoutside #nature #ABCcoastalcode #nationalforestfoundation #EVOST #usfs #NFHP
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