It is a terrific learning tool that teaches everything from chemistry to computers. For example, the Iowa Rivers Curriculum Project, modeled after a similar program in Illinois, uses water monitoring to teach science, social studies, and language arts. Twenty schools in Iowa are involved, and twice that many are scheduled to join in the spring of 1997. By participating in the project, students have a chance to learn with all of their senses as they sift through mud and pebbles to find and identify stream life and pour water into sample bottles to measure chemistry and clarity. The experience, for both youth and adults, is much more exciting and effective than passively listening to a speaker or watching a film.
Monitoring also helps build a better informed and more responsible citizenry.
Along with its educational and commitment advantages, many monitoring projects aim to collect data that will be used to protect or improve a water body. It can also be used to pinpoint problems and locate their sources or, less often, to track compliance with regulatory programs or mitigation agreements. Since agencies responsible for water quality seldom have the resources to do all the monitoring needed, data from citizens can supplement government resources. In order to be used by government agencies, the data must be reputable, and some critics have doubted whether citizens can deliver information that is reliable. In addition, some have fears about how the data will be used once collected.