Volunteer Monitoring

This page provides resources and links to volunteer monitoring and citizen science.

Volunteer Monitoring Network

Volunteer Monitoring Network Charter:

Volunteer Monitoring Charter (pdf) (270.24 KB)

Volunteer Monitoring Webinar Series on Data Use:

This series examines diverse ways in which community collected water quality data are used at local, state, and regional levels.

• State Examples:
  • Connecticut and Utah
  • Michigan and Missouri
  • Wisconsin
• Local examples:
  • Oklahoma and Long Island Sound
• Regional Example:
  • Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative

Tools and Collaborations:

One of the exciting characteristics of the volunteer monitoring field is we are continually brainstorming and exploring innovative avenues to develop new tools and approaches to water quality monitoring. This series highlights tools, resources, and innovative approaches to volunteer monitoring.

• Restoration in Texas & EPA Sanitary Survey
• Creating, Operating, Operating and Maintaining a Standardized Monitoring Collaborative Network - Ohio
• Applying best practices to broaden participation
• Mussels: The Other Aquatic Macroinvertebrate

Resources for Citizen Science Projects

EPA Guidebook for Citizen Science

EPA Region 1 Volunteer Monitoring Resources

NWQMC Volunteer Monitoring Page

Are you interested in staying in touch with the Volunteer Monitoring Community? The Volmonitor Listserver connects volunteer water monitoring program coordinators nationwide by serving as an internet forum for questions, announcements, and discussion on topics of interest to the volunteer monitoring community. New members are always welcome. Messages posted to the listserver will be read by all subscribers, who can respond either to the originator or to the entire list.

To subscribe to the Volmonitor listserver:

Send an email to listserv@lists.epa.gov. The email subject should be blank. The email contents/body should read, "subscribe volmonitor firstname lastname" only, with no signature (e.g., Subscribe Volmonitor John Smith). Once you have subscribed, you will receive a welcome message with instructions on using the listserver. This will confirm your membership.

To unsubscribe from the Volmonitor listserver:

Send a blank email to listserv@lists.epa.gov. The email subject should be blank. The email contents/body should read, "unsubscribe volmonitor firstname lastname" only, with no signature. The unsubscribe request must originate from the email address of the subscriber.

To send a message to the Volmonitor listserver:

You must be subscribed to the listserver to send a message. Send the message to volmonitor@lists.epa.gov and it will automatically be sent to all subscribers on the list. NOTE: if you hit “Reply” to answer the message, your reply will go to all subscribers! If you want to reply only to the originator, you must paste that person’s email address in your TO: line.