Michigan
Clean Water Corps
Annual Conference
Fifth
Annual Conference Proceedings
The fifth
annual Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) conference was held
October 26-27, 2009 at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center
in Higgins Lake, Michigan. The conference featured presentations
from regional experts and provided training geared toward both beginning
and advanced monitoring programs. In addition, volunteers from across
the state of Michigan shared their experiences and lessons learned
in volunteer monitoring.
Dr. Bryan
Burroughs, Executive Director of Michigan Trout Unlimited, was this
year's keynote speaker. Dr. Burroughs spoke about the importance
of volunteer data collection programs and their critical role in
ensuring high-quality management of our natural resources in the
coming years and decades. His presentation was very well received
and sparked a very valuable discussion among the attendees at the
conference.
An optional
training session on stream flow monitoring and geomorphologic measurement
was offered on Monday.
Conference
Program and Other Documents
Conference
Program 
Conference
Attendees
Workshop:
An Introduction to Stream Flow Monitoring and Geomorphologic Measurement
Volunteer-based
Technologies for Monitoring Stream Flow
Ric
Lawson, MiCorps Staff, Huron River Watershed Council
Introduction
to Stream Flow Monitoring and Geomorphologic Measurement
Robert
Mylloyja, Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc.
Supplemental
Stream Flow Training Materials
Conference
Presentations
Plenary
Sessions
Welcoming
Remarks and Review of Agenda
Elwin
Coll, Chair, MiCorps Steering Committee
Dr.
Paul Steen, MiCorps Staff, Huron River Watershed Council
Keynote:
The Critical Role of Volunteer Data Collection
Dr. Bryan Burroughs, Executive Director, Michigan
Trout Unlimited
Status
of the MiCorps Program and Michigan's Surface Water Monitoring
Program
Ralph Bednarz, Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality
Dr.
Paul Steen, MiCorps Staff, Huron River Watershed Council
An introduction
to and status of the MiCorps program and its work and accomplishments
during the program's fifth year, as well as an overview of Michigan's
Surface Water Monitoring Program.
Introductions
and Sharing our Stories
Ric Lawson, MiCorps Staff, Huron River Watershed
Council
Awards
for New MiCorps Members
Presented by: Ralph Bednarz, Michigan Dept. of Environmental
Quality
Elwin
Coll, Chair, MiCorps Steering Committee
Breakout
Session 1: Groundwater Impacts and Volunteer Monitoring
Moderator:
Ric Lawson, MiCorps Staff, Huron River Watershed Council
Jo
Latimore, Ph.D., Michigan State University (Presentation
)
Dr.
Bryan Burroughs, Michigan Trout Unlimited
Dave
Hamilton, Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality
(Presentation
)
Discussion
of the new water withdrawal laws and how they offer opportunities
for volunteer monitoring. Groundwater impacts on stream fish and
macroinvertebrates were also explored.
Breakout
Session 2: Advanced Insect ID Training
Dr.
Paul Steen, MiCorps Staff, Huron River Watershed Council
Tips for
identifying mayflies and stoneflies to the family level. Participants
practiced their identification skills on these organisms with
microscopes and preserved specimens.
Breakout
Session 3: Networking / Small Group Discussions
Moderator:
Joan Martin, Huron River Watershed Council
Participants
discussed issues that interested them in an open environment and
got feedback from MiCorps staff and other participants.
Breakout
Session 4: Lessons Learned for a Successful Stream Monitoring
Program
Moderator:
Kay Edly, Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality
Heidi
Frei, Friends of the Shiawassee River
Kristen
Jurs, Friends of the St. Clair River
Elizabeth
Coyne, Alger Conservation District
Program managers from recent MiCorps grant recipients share
their programs' goals, successes, challenges, and tips for aspiring
stream monitor leaders.
Breakout
Session 5: Presenting Data from Your Watershed Monitoring Program
Moderator:
Dr. Paul Steen, MiCorps Staff, Huron River Watershed Council
Dick
Pastula, Houghton Lake, CLMP Volunteer
Howard
Wandell, Blue Lake, CLMP Volunteer (Presentation
)
Rick
Meeks, Higgins Lake, CLMP Volunteer
Dr.
Scott McNaught, Central Michigan University (Presentation
)
Experienced
water monitors from the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP)
and the Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program (VSMP) discussed their
monitoring experiences and provided examples of different ways
to analyze and share the data you have collected with a public
audience.
Closing
Remarks and Adjournment
Elwin
Coll, Chair, MiCorps Steering Committee
Supplemental
Stream Flow Training Materials
(Note:
These resources are provided for educational purposes only; they
are not intended to be MiCorps procedures.)
Contacts
for More Information
For more
information on the MiCorps program or conference, contact Laura
Kaminski, MiCorps staff, Great Lakes Commission, 734-971-9135,
laurak@glc.org.
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