8th Annual Macroinvertebrate Survey

PRWC Seeks Volunteers for Annual River
Survey

For the eighth consecutive year, the
Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition is looking for volunteers to help further
study the health of the Pomperaug River and its tributaries.  A healthy river is important to all Pomperaug

Watershed communities that depend on the river for water supply, recreation,
and scenic beauty.  Volunteers will be
trained, then go out in teams to collect tiny creatures, called
macroinvertebrates, which are good indicators of water quality.

This year’s Macroinvertebrate Survey will
take place on Saturday, September 21, from 9 A.M. to 2 P.M. at the Woodbury
Emergency Services Building located at the corner of Quassuk Road and Route
6.  The survey is part of a statewide
citizen science program spearheaded by the Connecticut Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection.  With limited
staff resources at DEEP, volunteers play a critical role in assessing the health

of nearly 6,000 miles of flowing rivers and streams in Connecticut. 

Volunteers begin the day by learning about
macroinvertebrates, why they are collected, and how to collect them.   Then, they will be split into teams of three
to four people and be assigned one of the twelve sites to be surveyed.  Using nets, volunteers will capture the small
river-dwelling creatures, which spend part of their life cycle underwater,
clinging to rocks or zipping along in fast-moving river and streams.

Volunteers will bring their samples back
to the Emergency Services Building to sort out and identify the
macroinvertebrates they collected.  Some

of the species, such as mayfly and stonefly larvae, are extremely fussy about
environmental conditions, particularly the temperature, oxygen levels, and the
overall cleanliness of the water.  Such
species serve as indicators of excellent water quality; being as fussy as they are, their absence may mean the river or stream is in trouble. 

After the “river bugs” are collected,
sorted and identified, a voucher sample and a data sheet are prepared.  These are provided to the state Department of
Energy and Environmental Protection for verification.  Findings from the Macroinvertebrate Survey
program provide a general assessment of river health.  Data are then included in the DEEP’s annual

water quality report to Congress.  

“Verification of last year’s
macroinvertebrate samples indicate that our local rivers and streams range from
‘very good’ to ‘exceptional’ water quality,” says Carol Haskins, PRWC Outreach
Director.  “Additional biological and

chemical data collected by DEEP, however, indicates that there are stream

segments within the Pomperaug Watershed where there is the need for further
study and where water quality improvement is needed.   We are

working with local and state officials to understand and develop plans to

address these water quality concerns.”

To view PRWC’s macroinvertebrate survey
results from 2012 and prior years, visit www.pomperaug.org.  To obtain a copy of DEEP’s Integrated Water
Quality Report to Congress, visit www.ct.gov/deep.  For questions, more information, or to
register for the upcoming survey, call 203-263-0076 or email outreach@pomperaug.org. 

Adults
and children over age 12 (with an adult) are welcome to participate in the
survey.  Volunteers should dress to wade
in the water.  Morning refreshments and
lunch will be provided.   The survey will
go on in light rain, but high streamflow conditions, downpours, or thunder will
postpone the survey until Saturday September 28th.   Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.