GSWA Stream Team

GSWA Stream Team

A sub-committee of the GSWALand and Water Stewardship

Committee

GSWA Stream Team

• The Stream Team helps implement GSWA’s mission by:– monitoring watershed streams and – educating our communities about water quality and

quantity

• All Stream Team programs should support GSWA’s strategic intent to protect and improve water resources in the region

Stream Team Goals & Objectives

• Monitor water quality within the watershed and communicate findings to stakeholders in the watershed and beyond

• Identify riparian areas in need of restoration and employ sound restoration techniques where applicable and feasible

• Engage local high school and college students and educators in learning about and monitoring water quality

• Support GSWA’s water-related programming

• Create community stewards and strengthen partnerships with other organizations with complementary interests

• To be the most recognized and credible environmental organization in the area concerning the safety and quality of the water

• Have a strong scientific and technological presence• Be a well-known and respected participant in any water advocacy issue that

arises in the watershed

Stream Team Road Map(How Do We Get There?)

• Conduct chemical assessments on streams in the watershed to identify contaminants, their sources, and trends over time

• Conduct visual stream assessments throughout the watershed bi-annually

• Implement quality assurance/quality control procedures in all work to ensure integrity of results

• Submit chemical and visual assessment data to NJDEP

• Solicit expert opinion where necessary to help explain monitoring results

• Educate the public on water quality issues, projects, and results through newsletter articles, press releases, and social media

• Implement the School Water Monitoring on the Passaic (SWaMP) program to get high school and college students involved in water monitoring

• Stay up-to-date on water quality-related topics

Chemical Assessment Sampling Parameters

Meter Measured Parameters

• Water Temperature• Dissolved Oxygen• pH• Turbidity• Conductivity• Total Dissolved Solids

Lab Analyzed Parameters

• Nitrates• Nitrites• Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen• Soluble Reactive Phosphorus• Total Phosphorus• Total Suspended Solids• Total Dissolved Solids• Sodium• Chloride

• Adopt-a-Stream monitoring on Loantaka Brook (2005-2007) and Great Brook (2008-2010)

• Silver Brook Watershed Management Plan• Silver Brook Riparian Buffer Restoration

Completed Projects

• Adopt-a-Stream monitoring on the Upper Passaic River (2011-2013)

• Seton Hackney Stables Nonpoint Source Pollution Control

• Stream Cleanups

Current Projects

Monitoring Sites

For more information about the stream team, past or current projects, or how to get involved, contact:

Laura KelmDirector of Water Quality ProgramsGreat Swamp Watershed [email protected], ext. 16

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