

Stream Monitoring (Macroinvertabrates)

Join us each spring and fall as we partner with the professionals at Van Buren Conservation District to sample for aquatic macroinvertebrates (insects and insect larvae) in the Paw Paw and Black River Watersheds. As a group, these aquatic insects serve as indicator species helping us measure the health of these rivers. It is also, just fun to put on waders and explore the rivers up and close with like-minded community scientists.
Following statewide procedures developed by Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps), we will measure the rivers health and add to the statewide database year after year to monitor long-term trends. This allows us to make informed decisions based on good quality data benchmarked across the state.
No experience necessary. Learn more by visiting Van Buren County Conservation District Calendar
The Google map above shows monitoring sites with color coding (Blue= Excellent, Green= Good, Yellow= Fair, Red= Poor) for the water quality survey ranking (most common score, mode). Select waypoints to see more details for each site.
Tentative Sampling Dates: Spring- first Sunday in May, Fall- first Sunday in October. Check Events for dates.
Follow TRC and/or Van Buren Conservation District on Facebook for more details.
Survey Results Summary Table
This summary table shows how many times the sampling results fell into each water quality ranking category.

Additional Resources and Learnings
Click to view other stream monitoring resources:
2014 volunteer stream monitoring program
Fall 2016 volunteer stream monitoring collection report
Macroinvertebrates as Bioindicators of Stream Health
EPA Macroinvertebrate ID Tipsheet
