Water Monitoring

Data Logger Downloading Instruction Field Guide for Volunteers

Data logger Download feild guide Directions for using the 4.0.2 software for volunteers

Indiana County Watershed Monitoring Initiative 2011

What we are doing?

Evergreen Conservancy will position water-quality equipment capable of recording specific conductance in key streams. In a nutshell, we are applying new technology – Solinst Leveloggers – to take baseline water quality data in stream throughout Indiana County. These devices allow us to profile our streams – what is flowing through them, how they change over seasons and time, and any sources of pollution that may need to be addressed.

Our Project Goals are to:

  1. Provide continuous water-quality information for headwater watersheds in the Allegheny River Basin and Indiana and Armstrong Counties to protect against spills, leaks, accidents, holding pond failures and/or contaminated nonpoint-source runoff. Covering headwater streams in the Allegheny River Basin where nonpoint pollution is occurring or is anticipated will be a priority.
  2. Provide accurate, quality-assured water-quality data for the public over the World Wide Web.
  3. Develop an early warning system for priority, high quality, and other important water sheds in the Allegheny River Basin, in and around Indiana County. If pollution is prevented from becoming larger problems we will avoid additional and larger costs in the future when damage could increase and become extensive. We will be able to quantify needs if the water quality changes.
  4. Protect the waters from non AMD sources of pollution like spills, leaks, accidents, or extreme weather events which could result in nonpoint-source contamination reaching a stream. Data will be continuous and reliable. Having a time-series history of a pollution event could assist in determining the location and timing of the problem, thereby helping to establish the source and the responsible party.
  5. Provide training in aquatic chemistry and environmental monitoring for students.
  6. Preserve Pennsylvania’s natural resources and landscapes.

Data will be recorded every 15 minutes by the data loggers installed in the streams. The data would be downloaded manually and/or transmitted to a centrally located computer a minimum of twice a month. Computerized and manual checks of the data would identify values exceeding certain pre-designated threshold limits. DEP, local authorities and other interested parties will be alerted if thresholds were exceeded. Volunteers will download data, service the equipment and check the data for accuracy.

 

 

Who supports our project?

  • The local chapters of PA Senior Environmental Corp will be volunteering man hours for field work in this project and supporting this project.
  • Our local Trout Unlimited has donated a data logger and will be helping with volunteer man hours.
  • Western PA Conservancy will be supporing Evergreen Conservancy with datalogger and help with manual downloads and other support.
  • The Central Indiana County Water Authority will be be purchasing units for installation in water ways.
  • The Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Watershed Quality Working Group will be involved on a volunteer basis to develop and maintain a database. A website has been developed which will provide access to the data via a Google Maps, chosen for it’s ease of use by the general public.  All community members will have access to the data, once analized, allowing community members to ‘keep an eye on’ their backyard stream.This project will also include an educational component, with classroom training and hands-on field experience for students at IUP.
  • The Indiana County Conservation District (ICCD) is supporting us with technical support and hands-on work in the watershed as well as through an OSM VISTA volunteer working with us on this project.
  • The Kiski-Conamaugh Stream Team is partnering with Evergreen with technicial assistance and support as needed
  • The USGS supported us with GIS mapping support and giving technicial information and training to EC and other partners in use of equipment we purchased.

How we are doing this?

With a lot of volunteer help from many many concerned people!

Grants funding includes:

  • Growning Greener Funds (Department of Environmental Protection)
  • The Colcom Foundation

Funded by local groups:

  • The Central Indiana County Water Authority
  • Ken Sink Chapter of Troup Unlimited
  • Western PA Conservancy

How you can help?

  • Become a volunteer to go out in the field and help down load data once or twice a month.
  • Show your support and approval of this project…Become a member of Evergreen Conservancy.
  • Make a donation to Evergreen Conservancy to help fund this project.

The link to our data is http://www.watershed.iup.edu/ It is password protected. Contact us if you would like more information about the data.

Contact us at info@evergreenconservancy.org or call 724-349-4333

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