2025 Annual MiCorps Conference

Dec. 5, 2025
9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET

Online

The Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) hosts an annual volunteer monitoring conference each fall. The conference provides an excellent opportunity to stay up to date on monitoring methods and to meet and interact with other volunteer monitors. Participants join stream and lake monitoring volunteers and program coordinators from across Michigan to learn, network, and celebrate our collective achievements!

The 2025 Conference agenda is below. Click the session titles to watch recordings. Links to resources, such as slide decks and lists of online content mentioned in each presentation, are listed below the session titles.

9 a.m.    Welcome

• Jo Latimore, MiCorps Director, MSU

9:15 a.m.     Volunteer and grantee recognition

• Paul Steen, MiCorps Streams Program Manager, Huron River Watershed Council, and Erick Elgin, MiCorps Lakes Program Manager, MSU Extension

  • Slide deck - Volunteer and grantee recognition

9:30 a.m.    Barry Conservation District’s Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program

• Rachel Franz, Barry Conservation District

  • Slide deck - Barry Conservation District's Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program

10 a.m.  How Michigan agencies use MiCorps stream data

• EGLE staff: Tamara Lipsey (EGLE MiCorps Program Lead), Teresa Salveta, and Jack Cotrone

  • Slide deck - How Michigan agencies use MiCorps stream data

  • List of mentioned online content - How Michigan agencies use MiCorps stream data

10:45 a.m.  Resources for lake and stream monitoring organizations

• EGLE staff: Tamara Lipsey, Molly Rippke, Ryan Crouch, Kevin Walters, and Chris Vandenberg

  • Slide deck - Resources for lake and stream monitoring organizations

  • List of mentioned online content - Resources for lake and stream monitoring organizations

11:30 a.m.   Break

Noon  MiCorps 101

• Jo Latimore

  • Slide deck - MiCorps 101

1 p.m.    Ensuring the quality of volunteer-collected data

• Paul Steen and Erick Elgin

  • Slide deck - Ensuring the quality of volunteer-collected data

2 p.m.    Using Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program data to inspire action

• Part 1: Score the Shore and other parameters

  • Mike Gallagher, CLMP Volunteer – Gull Lake and Michigan Lakes and Streams Association Board Director

    • Slide deck - Using the CLMP to generate local action

• Part 2: Exotic Aquatic Plant Watch

  • Lisa Adams, CLMP Volunteer – Bass Lake and President of the Bass Lakes Area Environmental Partnership

    • Slide deck - Exotic Aquatic Plant Watch

• Part 3: Trophic Status – Secchi, Total Phosphorus, and Chlorophyll-a

  • Erick Elgin and Jo Latimore

    • Slide deck - Trophic Status - Secchi, Total Phosphorus, and Chlorophyll-a

3:30 p.m.    Adjourn