If any of you folks have an interest in testing streams in Northern Illinois for quality (and ensuring they remain topnotch smallmouth fisheries), you might want to consider pursuing RiverWatch citizen scientist training and conducting macroinvertebrate surveys under the auspices of the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC). (Types and populations of favorable macroinvertebrates correlate with stream water quality.)

The following is a URL to the RiverWatch homepage:

http://www.ngrrec.org/RiverWatch/

You can learn more about training and surveys by clicking on links at the URL listed above.

NGRREC is providing at least two training sessions in Northern Illinois this spring that will provide you with all the information you need to know to embark on this endeavor. The first will take place on Saturday, April 13 at The Natural Resources Education Center (NREC), 507 Preserve Dr, Genoa, IL 60135 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Here is a link to that training session:

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/hkdycj2

The second training session will take place on Sunday, April 28 at the Boone County Conservation District, 603 N Appleton Rd, Belvidere, IL 61008 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Here is a link to that session:

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/dr9ansk

For more specific information about the training and surveys, you will want to contact Hannah Griffifs at the NGRREC. Her phone # is (618) 468-2781. Her email address is hgriffis@lc.edu.

I went through training last year and will readily state for the record that Hannah’s sessions are very informative. You definitely won’t be bored and the training is definitely worth the $50 fee. (Here’s a bonus for you all: Once you determine where all the hellgrammites hang out, you will have better ideas where to toss your streamers.)

There is one potential caveat. If you have just been trained, you will probably want to conduct your surveys under the auspices of someone who has been around the block a time or two with regard to conducting them. Since I live along the upper regions of the South Branch of the Kishwaukee River, I had the opportunity to work with two gentlemen from the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District who have conducted the surveys multiple times. To the best of my knowledge, Winnebago and Boone County Forest Preserve Districts have not been involved with RiverWatch surveys. If you live in either of these counties, you might want to contact relevant agencies to see if they are going to participate in RiverWatch activities this year. McHenry County has participated in RiverWatch surveys previously, but lack of human resources may preclude their involvement this year. Again, you will want to contact McHenry County folks to see if they are going to pursue RiverWatch surveys this year. All that said, even if none of the three aforementioned counties plan to pursue RiverWatch surveys this year, you still may be able to make a significant contribution. While I don’t claim to be an expert, I have been trained and participated in three surveys in DeKalb County last year. In other words, I may be able to assist and/or oversee your own surveys. Feel free to contact me at your convenience if you are interested.

Many thanks for your consideration.