Every spring and fall, our Adopt-A-Stream volunteers monitor stream health at over 25 sites throughout the Grand Traverse Bay watershed. In the words of Mike Foley, one of our dedicated  volunteers, this program is so important because it’s “an early warning system that can detect changes that are occurring over years and hopefully lead to some interventions to address any emerging issues.”

Volunteers borrow materials like waders, identification keys, and nets from our resource library when they head out to sample. After the stream-side sampling wraps up, volunteers like Mike gather around a microscope to help us identify thousands of aquatic organisms before sampling results can be entered into a state-wide database for local and state resource professionals to reference.

Our Adopt-A-Stream program is just one piece of our broader water quality monitoring efforts that informs our work and helps us identify threats to water health before they cause greater harm.

Last winter, we were fortunate to be granted funds from the Barton J. and Gail G. Ingraham Foundation to purchase a trailer to store and organize our water quality monitoring gear. Today, we need your help to raise at least $2,917.16 by June 30th to stock our trailer with the equipment our staff and volunteers need. Your generosity will help sustain our monitoring efforts and secure additional funds needed to support our efforts to advocate for water quality in the Grand Traverse Bay watershed.