VOLUNTEER MONTHLY MONITORS
Tracking Water Quality to Protect & Restore the Charles.
Since 1995, our Volunteer Monthly Monitor program has formed the backbone of our work.
Each month, over eighty dedicated, dawn-rising community scientists head out to thirty-five sites along the Charles River and two tributaries, the Muddy River and Stop River, to sample for E.Coli bacteria, record river conditions, and measure temperature and depth to keep a close eye on the health of our river.
One of the oldest and largest volunteer sampling programs in the country, the Volunteer Monthly Monitor program has allowed us to create one of the most robust water quality databases in the nation to help us study ecosystem health, track pollution sources, and identify and advocate for solutions for a cleaner, healthier Charles River.
Data in Action:
Since 1995, this vital E. Coli data has been used by U.S. EPA to issue the Charles River Report Card to inform the public about recreational safety.
Additionally, on a quarterly basis, samples are analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, total suspended solids, and plant pigments, all of which help us track the impacts of stormwater runoff on ecosystem health.
Together, these factors help us understand how climate change, development, and pollution affect the health of our river, and help us identify and advocate for the best solutions to restore water quality.
Become a Volunteer Monthly Monitor!
Do you love early mornings on the river? Apply to one of our open positions. Volunteers sample monthly at 6 AM. We ask all volunteers to commit at least one year to the program.
Bellingham Regional Sampler
Medfield Regional Sampler
Site 165S Medway/Franklin
Wonder what it is like to be a Volunteer Monthly Monitor?
Watch our Volunteer Monthly Monitor Training Video!
Take a deep dive into what you need to sample, procedures and best practices for sampling, and tips for staying involved.
Volunteer Resources:
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Monitoring dates typically fall on the third Tuesday of the month. Dates are occasionally shifted due to holidays and weather events.
2024 SAMPLING DATES
Tuesday, January 9, 2024 (Winter Backup Date: January 23, 2024)
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 (Winter Backup Date: February 27, 2024)
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 (Winter Backup Date: March 26, 2024)
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Tuesday, December 10, 2024 (Winter Backup Date: December 17, 2024)
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BLANK CHAIN OF CUSTODY FORMS BY REGION: BELLINGHAM, MEDFIELD, NEEDHAM, CRWA, CAMBRIDGE
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In order to be fully oriented and trained as a Volunteer Monthly Monitor, volunteers will go through these training materials when they begin and then once per year to stay sharp on the best water quality sampling procedures.
Follow these steps below:
STEP #1 Read through the Volunteer Monthly Monitor Training Manual
STEP #2 Save the following numbers in your phone:
CRWA Main Office: (617) 540-5650
Volunteer Coordinator’s Cell (in reminder email)
Your Sampling Partner’s Cell
Your Regional Coordinator’s Cell
STEP #3 Review this year’s sampling dates (ABOVE) and save them in your calendar. If you know of a date you cannot participate, let the Volunteer Coordinator know.
STEP #4 Watch the training video to learn how to sample.
STEP #5 Complete the online Training Quiz
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Need a replacement basket, thermometer, lead line, or rope?
CLICK HERE TO REQUEST EQUIPMENT or contact Marielena Lima at mlima@crwa.org.