As part of the World Water Monitoring Day, citizen scientists and students worldwide monitor surface waters for temperature, pH, clarity, and dissolved oxygen.
Below are downloadable documents that explain why these parameters are important to aquatic life, and how they help us understand the health of our streams, rivers, lakes and ponds.
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (pdf about temperature, pH, clarity, and dissolved oxygen)
Method Manuals from the US Environmental Protection Agency
These manuals have a wealth of information!
Volunteer Estuary Monitoring: A Methods Manual
Volunteer Lake Monitoring: A Methods Manual
Volunteer Stream Monitoring: A Methods Manual -
Volunteer Wetland Monitoring: An Introduction and Resource Guide - Describes a selection of handbooks and manuals that offer detailed information on volunteer wetland monitoring.