2011 National Water Conference; Washington, D

Effective watershed management requires adequate locally relevant information. Agencies often lack sufficient resources to collect this data. Volunteer monitoring has bridged this gap in the Northeast by providing both short-term and long-term, high quality data. These programs rigorously evaluated and improved field collection, storage and analytical procedures to improve the quality and reliability of data collected by volunteers. Nearly 4,000 Northeast volunteers monitored more than 900 rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, wetlands, estuaries, and marine sites. Armed with data, community buy-in is essential to support activities required for effective watershed management. These educated volunteers shared their knowledge and often assisted decision makers to enhance the use of locally generated data to support effective watershed management strategies. Volunteer monitoring programs in the region collaborated with Northeast Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials programs to improve the use of data by local decision-makers. Local programs created websites to share their data online along with scorecards of local water resources. With more than 42,000 volunteer hours worth over $8 million of services since 2000, these Northeast programs leveraged more than a $1 million in direct support from state and federal agencies, local communities, foundations and non-profits to expand and enhance monitoring regionally and nationally and fund research activities. Regional meetings identified resource needs to prioritize regional activities – recent efforts have centered on algal blooms, invasive species, stream continuity and climate change. Data generated by trained citizen scientists in Northeast volunteer monitoring programs were used in statewide environmental status reports, for TMDLs and nutrient budgets, to assess best management practices and restoration effectiveness and to develop resource inventories for community planning. These programs improved the understanding of local water resources, encouraged individual and community involvement in water quality protection and restoration efforts, and helped communities make informed decisions that improved and protected water quality.