In order to get a good sense of the movement of water through the watershed, we need to collect data on a weekly basis at a minimum. It is important to check the level of the water at your site on the same day as the other volunteers in the watershed. We have selected Wednesday as the day to do this. In addition, more data will help us better understand the natural variability of flow in the watershed. If you can come more often than Wednesday, please do. Daily would be great. Or if you happen to be driving past your point sometime, check it and record the data. It should only take 1-2 minutes to do this.
On the data sheet provided record the date, time, and weather at the time of observation. Then record the level of the water as marked on the metal ruler. If the water appears to be slanted on the ruler, try to read it in the middle of the ruler to get an average of the stream height. In the example below, you should record 8.35 as the measurement since the water level in the middle of the ruler looks to be between 8.34 and 8.36. You can either keep your data sheet and turn it in on a monthly basis or input your data directly on-line at: http://www.uvm.edu/giee/AV/NF/StAlbans/Data.html
Water quality samples need to be collected every other week. A list of sampling dates is given in the table below. Samples should be collected using the sample bottles provided. All four bottles need to be filled at the same time. Place the bottle at mid-depth in the stream but no closer than 1.5 feet from the bottom of the stream. Let the bottle fill with water and then replace the top under water. Record the date, time, weather, and height on the nearby stream level gauge on the data record sheet provided. After filling the bottles and drying them off, attach the labels provided and take the samples by 4 pm to Town Hall. If you will not be able to collect samples on a given week please call:
Debbie Lindley ( ) OR Jerry Marong ( ) to arrange for a replacement volunteer.
Sampling Dates, Summer 2004
| June 9 | July 21 | September 1 |
| June 23 | August 4 | September 15 |
| July 7 | August 18 |
Wait at least 5 hours after the rain has stopped to read the crest gauge. To read the crest gauge, remove the top end cap and take out the dowel. Use the scale on the adjacent metal gauge meter to measure the level of the cork powder "ring". After taking the reading, wipe off the cork powder back into the tube. If there is no more cork powder in the screened pouch, add a little bit more. Replace the dowel and the lid.