Land Development Engineering
Latest News
Click
image for video
Map of 2009 Stream Waders Sites
For the second year, members of the Land Development Engineering staff
participated in the Department of Natural Resources Stream Waders Program.
In order to become part of the program, volunteers agree to participate
in a one day training
session and then spend about two more days during the March-April sampling
window collecting aquatic invertebrate samples from stream beds. Samples
are sent to DNR for "bug identification" and analysis. For
the 2010 sampling, staff members collected samples in the Hancock area of
the Tonoloway Creek watershed.
Volunteer samples and location data go through a process similar to that
used for the Maryland Biological Stream Survey for quality control and
analysis. Data and reports that result from this process are available on
the web in the online publications
page.
The goals of the Stream Waders Program are:
- To increase the density of sampling sites for use in stream quality assessments.
- To educate the local community about the relationship between land use and stream quality.
- To provide quality assured information on stream quality to state,local, and federal agencies, environmental organizations, and others.
- To improve stream stewardship ethics and encourage local action to improve watershed management.
WATERSHED SAMPLING
Stream Waders is an adult volunteer stream sampling component of the
Maryland Biological Stream Survey (MBSS), DNR's professional stream
sampling program. The goal of Stream Waders is to fill many of the information
gaps that currently exist on the quality of Maryland's streams. Volunteers
sample aquatic invertebrates in the same watersheds across Maryland as those
sampled by MBSS biologists, only at a smaller watershed scale. Thus, volunteer
data will fit seamlessly into results from the MBSS. Recently three members
of the Washington County Land Development Department attended the volunteer
training and will be sampling 3 different sites within the County. For more information
on how to become a volunteer please visit their website. Click on the
map to view the 2009 Maryland Biological Stream Survey and Stream
Waders Watersheds.
Maryland
Stream Waders (pdf)
Free septic system upgrades from MDE
Page Modified
6/11/10 2:42 PM