Category: Alabama Water Watch

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AWW Training Recaps: February in Auburn & Camp McDowell in March 

Newly certified Water Chemistry Monitors pose after their Field Day in Town Creek Park, Auburn, Alabama.
Photo Credit: Sydney Zinner

After two years of not being able to easily and safely train new monitors, AWW has been off to the races in 2022!  AWW staff recently led two hybrid AWW monitoring trainings that included self-paced, online courses and finished with an in-person field day. We have been very pleased with the new format. What began as a response to the pandemic is turning out to be a great fit for the program. We hope COVID is on its way out, but the new training model won’t go away.

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4-H’ers at Hamilton High School Continue to Watch Our Waters

Sergio and I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon of November 4th with a group of enthusiastic and fun high school students from the Hamilton High School Environmental Club. The Club, led by Kacy Cobb who is a science teacher at the school, has incorporated 4-H AWW monitoring into their club programs for around five years now.  

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4-H Alabama Water Watch Educator and Student Recognized by Alabama Wildlife Foundation

Zoe Nye, former 4-H AL Water Watcher, and Jill Wachs, 4-H Regional Extension Agent for Barbour County pose for a quick photo after receiving prestigious awards from the Alabama Wildlife Federation.

AWW would like to extend our congratulations to Jill Wachs and Zoe Nye for being recognized during the recent Alabama Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Achievement Awards.  

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How We Kept Sane During COVID-19 Sheltering In

By: James and Peggy Lowery of Birmingham, Alabama

Shades Creek. Photo Credit: James & Peggy Lowery

When the need to “shelter in” at home became apparent at the beginning of March 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19, we decided that we needed something that would “get us out of the house” on a regular basis to help us “keep our sanity” while at the same time staying away from other people.

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USFS Phase II Kick-off

USFS CitSci Fund Phase II Talladega Field Day Participants at the Cheaha State Park Interpretive Center. Photo Credit: Mona Dominguez

In 2021, AWW’s partnership with the USDA Forest Service (USFS) CitSci Fund expanded to the Talladega National Forest! The partnership began in 2019 and, in early 2020, AWW and USFS co-hosted water quality monitoring workshops in the Bankhead, Conecuh, and Tuskegee National Forests. These three workshops resulted in 77 volunteers trained as citizen scientists, 15 active volunteer monitors, and 19 sites sampled on 10 different waterbodies. Nearly 18 months later, 250+ data records have been received. More detail about sites and workshops is published on the Project’s StoryMap.

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Overview of Variables Tested by Alabama Water Watch Volunteers

This article will provide an overview of all of the variables tested by certified Alabama Water Watch volunteer monitors, what the data mean. To know whether or not the data indicate water quality issues, it is necessary to have some understanding of Water Quality Standards, so we’ve briefly explained Water Quality Standards for Alabama. The information included could be helpful for interested volunteers who are trying to get started as monitors, people who want to learn more about water quality in their watershed, or certified volunteers who are reviewing the data at their sites.

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AWW Office COVID-19 Update

AWW Office Operations

If you need to come by our office, please call or email to make an appointment.

UPDATE – Training Opportunities

AWW is starting to offer in-person certification and recertification sessions in addition to the online and hybrid offerings that will be available soon. All in-person workshops will follow the health and safety guidelines set by Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

As soon as those opportunities are available, information will be provided on the AWW website and through email communications. If you are interested in being trained as a monitor, please complete the Workshop Interest Survey below and we will contact you when opportunities are available.

https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_af1oUBNMF0YIfJz

Current Monitors

Please note that monitors in need of recertification have been given an extension of their certifications until they are able to attend a recertification session. They will be permitted to enter data. Options for recertification will be available in the coming weeks.

Current monitors can continue to monitor water as long as they abide by all safety guidelines and requirements. Each monitor has a unique situation related to where they monitor, and with whom they monitor. Please use the following resources to make the best decision for your situation, and don’t hesitate to contact AWW if in doubt.

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