2004-08-19_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

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C NIT T First Monitoring Plan Pilot 'T'raining eld! In the fall of 2004 the Minnesota Lakes Association (MLA.) and the Rivers Council of Minnesota (RCM) in conjunction with the River Network presented the first pi- lot Citizen Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Plan Training Workshop. Its goal is to enhance and expand the ability of citizen volunteers to collect water quality data that will be useful for lake and stream assessments and management. This project, funded by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCMR) from the Minnesota Envirorunental and Natural Resources Trust Fund, was developed in response to the expressed need ~ ~ ~ •~~ ~~ =~,r _T t~ x for citizen volunteer groups to focus their monitor- _ .; ' ~,~ ~, ~~ in efforts to collect uali data in a cost effective ~- j a ' ~~` '~~ ~_. g q tY ~~ ~ -~ < ~. ~ ~: manner to help fully assess Minnesota's waters ~~~~' ~ . i ~ F Better data quality results in better water resource ~ ~ ~ : Y management decisions. The creation of a water "~~ ~' ~~a' quality-monitoring plan based on clear monitoring F mss' , goals makes this possible. Each participating ~µ ~Y~ :- group developed a monitoring plan specific to its The Norway Gamer Lake needs and capabilities with individualized assis- A.crociation maker tance, technical support and worksheets. Upon planning Look easy completion, up to $3000 for plan implementation was available for each group. What was learned in these workshops will help in the development of a planning template that can be used with many other volunteer water quality monitoring groups. Seven Lakes and 'ver Groups Chosen The number of applicants to the first workshop was fantastic! Cuter 60 lake and river groups applied. Space was limited to seven groups, because of the individual- ized assistance, hands-on activities, team teaching and implementation funding. This made the task of selecting only seven groups challenging as the applicants were very qualified and enthusiastic to participate. The selected groups shared a recognized need for citizen involvement in the management of their natural re- sources and a desire to ensure that their citizen volunteer data was used. The four rivers and three lakes groups chosen represented a diverse geography, size, and scale of programs. The groups included: Beltrami County Lakes and River Assn. Pelican Lakes Association of St. Anna Chippewa River Watershed Project Sauk River Watershed District Dodge County Environmental Quality Suomi Area Lakes Association Norway/Games Lakes Association .N; ~~ ~, =~F ~~~ k~ Ricer Nertivork "I had no COIZCept of the ylZagn2tude of what encompasses "water quality tC'StZ1Zg'"