This is a good time for learning water quality testing.  The IOWATER workshop will equip us not only to monitor streams, but to enter our data into a state program where it will be available for anyone who would like to learn about the quality of their local lakes and streams.  Here in the Central Iowa Group, we have already started with training events along Walnut Creek in Des Moines.  The next event takes place at 1pm tomorrow .  We will meet at the the Greenbelt Park in Clive on 100th street not far from the Saturn dealership.

The State of Missouri also trains and certifies stream monitors.  Their program is very thorough, consisting of a day of introductory training, a day of testing to check your knowledge,  and a personally monitored stream testing event.  They will also supply the volunteers they train with the materials they need.

If you are interested, you can visit their site and register online for the introductory training at http://www.rollanet.org/~streams/introann.html .  If there are a number of out-of state people interested, they will give the first two days of training back-to-back.

If anyone is interested in back-to-back group training, contact me. If there are enough interested people, perhaps they will offer us such a session.

Peggy Murdock