Lessons from the Lower Mississippi: How we can all be water stewards

This Earth Month, Communications Intern Dela Anderson set out to learn more ways we can all get our hands wet and protect the waters we love. She started by creating this list of water-centric events across the Upper Mississippi River Region, organized by state.

Then, Dela attended Mississippi Water Stewards: Community-Based Watershed Education and Protection. This event, presented by the Universities Council on Water Resources and Southern Illinois University, featured Dr. Beth Baker, professor and extension researcher at Mississippi State University. Baker’s work includes managing a citizen-based water monitoring program — something that exists all throughout our region! Want to get involved in your state? Keep reading.

Illinois

• RiverWatch Network
• Citizen Science Directory  

Iowa

• Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Nitrate Watch 

Minnesota

• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Water Monitors 

Missouri

• Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program
• Lakes of Missouri Volunteer Program 

Wisconsin

• Center for Limnology Community Water Monitoring Network
• Citizen Lake Monitoring Network 
• Clean Lakes Alliance Water Monitors

​If you don’t see your watershed represented, don’t worry. There are many other ways to get your hands wet, like requesting a free nitrate testing kit for your area from the Izaak Walton League of America’s Nitrate Watch program. Additionally, consider becoming a community scientist by downloading iNaturalist and making observations. You can even join regional challenges, like the annual Great Lakes BioBlitz!
If you want to start more involved monitoring in your area, check out WaterRangers, a non-profit that offers an “open-access data platform, testing equipment, and training resources to help communities collect, organize, and share water quality data.” We hope to see you out on the water this month and every month! 

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Why do people test for nitrate?  This article in the Iowa Capitol Dispatch exlores that question...
Here’s why Iowans say they volunteer to test lakes, rivers for nitrates
By:Zach Sommers-April 25, 20268:00 am
Iowans all across the state are volunteering to go out to rivers and lakes near their homes to test for nitrates, which are associated with various health risks.   Follow along as several participants in the Nitrate Watch program take water samples, conduct nitrate tests and report their findings.  Click here for the full article in the Iowa Capitol Dispatch!