Michigan Clean Water Corps
Annual Conference

MiCorps Third Annual Conference Proceedings

The third annual conference was held October 15 - 16, 2007 at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center in Higgins Lake, Michigan. The conference featured presentations from regional experts and provided training for both beginning and advanced monitoring programs. Conference sessions included such topics as fundraising; managing and using your data; designing a monitoring strategy; outreach and collaboration; E. coli monitoring; and monitoring Michigan’s lakes.

In addition, representatives from MiCorps and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality reviewed trends in water quality in Michigan and discussed the role that volunteer monitoring data plays in supporting water quality protection efforts in Michigan. Peter Jackson, Volunteer Monitoring Coordinator for U.S. EPA’s Midwest Region 5, presented the keynote address. He provided a regional perspective on volunteer monitoring and discussed key issues facing volunteer monitoring programs, including program sustainability and volunteer retention.

Three optional training sessions for volunteer monitors were offered on Monday, including Stream Monitoring, Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring, and Marketing the Environment.

Conference Program and Other Documents

Conference Program

Conference Attendees

Presentations

Plenary Session

U.S. EPA's Perspective on Volunteer Monitoring
Pete Jackson, Volunteer Monitoring Coordinator, U.S. EPA Midwest Region

The U.S. EPA's perspective on the importance of volunteer monitoring data, what EPA is doing to support volunteer monitoring, the status of volunteer monitoring in EPA Region 5, and the importance of sustainability in volunteer monitoring programs

Handout: Useful Websites for Volunteer Monitoring Information

Overview of the MiCorps Program
Ric Lawson, MiCorps Support Staff

An introduction and overview of the MiCorps program and its work and accomplishments during the program's third year.

The State of Michigan's Surface Water Monitoring Program
Jack Wuycheck, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

An overview of Michigan's Surface Water Monitoring Program, including the program's structure and goals and how staff use volunteer monitoring data, as well as a discussion of trends in water quality in Michigan's lakes and rivers.

Ensuring Sustainability for Volunteer Monitoring Groups
Laura Rubin, Executive Director, Huron River Watershed Council

No Presentation Available.

MiCorps Monitoring Groups: Looking Back and Looking Forward
Valerie Olinik-Damstra, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
Terry Stilson, Muskegon River Watershed Assembly
Sarah U’Ren, Grand Traverse Bay Watershed Center – YouTube Video
Moderator: Jo Latimore

No Presentations Available.

Breakout Sessions

Fundraising 101 for Volunteer Monitors
Margaret Smith, Huron River Watershed Council

Learn how to identify funding sources and develop a fundraising plan to support your monitoring efforts.

Monitoring Michigan’s Inland Lakes – An Overview
Ralph Bednarz, MDEQ Water Bureau

An overview of Michigan’s Inland Lakes Water Quality Monitoring Programs, including a discussion of the program’s goals and an overview of the four major MDEQ lake monitoring programs.

Community Outreach & Successful Collaborations
Jack Wuycheck, MDEQ
Becky Simpson, Livingston County Drain Commission
Kevin Cronk, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
Moderator: Ric Lawson, MiCorps Support Staff

How monitoring groups can use the data and information they collect to work together with local and state government agencies in policy development and management.

Presenting Your Volunteer Monitoring Data
Jo Latimore, Ph.D., MiCorps Support Staff

How to present your monitoring data to various audiences, and use it to retain volunteers and educate your community.  Tips and tricks for presenting your data effectively will be shared, illustrated by examples from all over Michigan and beyond.

Designing a Sustainable Monitoring Strategy
Pete Jackson, Volunteer Monitoring Coordinator, U.S. EPA Midwest Region
Ric Lawson, MiCorps Support Staff

Design an effective monitoring strategy that can be implemented and adapted for years to come. It will cover topics such as determining which monitoring methods are most appropriate for your organization, how to select monitoring sites, developing a quality assurance plan, and more.

E. coli Monitoring – Effective Techniques and Test Kits for Volunteers
Lois Wolfson, Ph.D., Institute for Water Research and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University

The most effective techniques and test kits volunteers can use for monitoring E. coli in surface waters through a combination of discussion and hands-on practice in the classroom.

Contacts for More Information

For more information on the MiCorps program or the October 29 conference, contact Elizabeth Johnson, MiCorps staff, Great Lakes Commission, 734-971-9135, Elizabeth Johnson.