Watershed Alliance Interactive Map
Map Details & Tiered Assessment Background Information >
Click on any of the Vermont Lake Champlain sub-basins (colored polygons) and links to pages profiling watersheds will pop up. Click on the red flags to find links to participating schools collecting water quality data. Click on the water drops to view data collection sites, with links to monitoring data reports.
This spring (2015) Watershed Alliance schools and students collected stream assessment data (chemical, biological, and physical) using our new tiered assessment field forms including detailed instructions in new field packets. Tier 1 Assessment provides basic information about a school and communities local stream, most often used by 4th or 5th graders or students new to the study of streams. Tier 2 Assessment data is for intermediate students typically 5th through 8th grade that have a grasp of the methodology and tools necessary to measure stream health. Tier 3 Assessment data provides advanced data collection opportunities from abundance counts of benthic macroinvertebrates to scientific reports of the chemical parameters measured as well as stream discharge calculation and land/water use assessment.
Teachers and/or students enter their Tier 1, 2 or 3 data into our newly updated, user-friendly database within a week of completing their stream assessment. The new database can filter within tiers or individual parameters. Schools are highly encouraged to share this data, their analysis and potential solutions or stewardship recommendations with their school, local watershed association or community group. Final project work and photographs can be posted to the participating school’s page on the interactive map.
The public can see what Vermont students are doing out in their local streams by viewing stream monitoring data they’ve collected and outreach and stewardship projects as part of Watershed Alliance’s Stream Monitoring & Stewardship Program.
The interactive watershed map and database was an idea of Lake Champlain Sea Grant and UVM Watershed Alliance. The design and development was completed by Tamarack Media in Burlington, Vermont. We are interested to hear your feedback on how we can make this a user friendly tool for students and schools. Please contact Ashley Eaton at UVM Watershed Alliance, Ashley.Eaton@uvm.edu, with suggestions or comments.