DEC Recruiting Volunteers to Aid In Collecting River Samples

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The state Department of Environmental Conservation is recruiting volunteers to collect biological samples from streams and rivers in the Genesee, Delaware, Hudson and Mohawk river watersheds.

Data from the citizen science project are used to augment the work of the agency, which samples streams and rivers across the state to create an inventory of stream water quality.

Volunteers will assist in identifying healthy stream sites and flagging sites of potential concern. The data is included in federal and state water quality reports.

Trained citizen monitors visit stream sites once between July and September to collect and identify insects and other small organisms from rocks and rubble on the stream bottom.