Baseline Monitoring

The most flexible and convenient way to get involved in Dakota Water Watch is with Baseline Monitoring. With this type of monitoring, volunteers measure, observe, and record environmental information such as temperature, wind conditions, Secchi depth, wildlife presence, invasive species, and overall perception of a particular water body's condition. Monitoring occurs once or twice a month between April and October and volunteers may choose one or multiple sites on lakes, streams, or wetlands. Obervations are recorded on provided data sheets and mailed to the Dakota Water Watch program coordinator. Many volunteers choose to do this type of monitoring in conjunction with bacteria monitoring.