Building Partnerships for Volunteer Water Monitoring Building Partnerships for Volunteer Water Monitoring Over the past year the Iowa Environmental Council has been working in partnership with representatives of volunteer monitoring groups, schools, colleges and universities, state and federal agencies, and environmental groups. This planning group has met several times to identify issues and develop strategies to enhance volunteer water monitoring in Iowa. The directory is for existing groups - and for new groups seeking both resources and successful models. The directory is also an important step toward a statewide volunteer monitoring network.
Local involvement is an essential part of water quality programs.
Volunteer water monitoring provides both education and personal involvement with our local water resources - our rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands. Partners supporting these efforts include state and federal agencies, businesses, universities, community groups, and many others. Some projects are primarily educational while others focus on collecting data helpful in understanding and managing local water resources. With technical and financial support and strong community partnerships, the number of groups will grow. Each of us has a role in protecting our water quality - whether as an active volunteer, providing technical or financial assistance, offering access to a local stream or river, or in supporting the idea that citizens working in their own backyards can make a difference.