Identify target areas for mitigation, restoration, and protection in a scientifically sound manner. Empower communities and individuals with scientific knowledge so that they can participate meaningfully in decision-making processes and assure protection of our natural resources. Provide Dickinson College students with opportunities to use their classroom experiences to directly benefit communities.
Students respond to requests from communities for technical support, training and assistance.
This information, widely recognized as the most comprehensive database on pH and alkalinity of Pennsylvania streams, is used by conservation organizations as well as local and state government for policy development. Our Technical Support Center works cooperatively with volunteer stream monitoring groups across Pennsylvania to identify the watershed issues specific to that community. We provide an integrated series of workshops that guides volunteers through the process of delineating the watershed, collecting existing sources of water quality data, as well as choosing sites and parameters to measure. The Community Aquatic Research Laboratory, a key component of the Technical Support Center, provides assistance to assure that groups are maximizing their quality control efforts and are producing useful and credible data. This program requires that every volunteer periodically submit water samples to the laboratory, where trained student workers compare laboratory analysis to their field analysis to assess accuracy and precision.