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VOLUNTEER MONITORING
Ani'ama'
- The Water People
Pronounced
as ah-nee-ah-wah from the Lower Dialect of the Cherokee Indians.
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A local volunteer receives training to
begin sampling the water quality
of Shooting Creek in Clay County, N.C. |
Volunteer Information:
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above files require
the
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HRWC began a volunteer monitoring program in the fall of 2002.
Currently, a group of about 30 volunteers called
Ani'ama',
a Cherokee word meaning, "The Water People" or "People of the
Water," collect and test water samples on the third Saturday of each month as part of
a regional network facilitated by the
Environmental
Quality Institute located in Asheville, North Carolina.
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2011 Sampling Dates
(3rd Saturday of
the month)
March 19
April 16
May
21
June 18
July 16
Aug. 20
Sept. 17
Oct. 15
Nov 19 |
On
the pre-determined Saturday sampling dates, volunteers record
the time and date of collection, air and water temperature,
rainfall in the past three days, the observed water flow
rate, and general condition of the stream. They test the
dissolved oxygen level at the site and collect six bottles of
water to be transported to Asheville under refrigeration on the
following Monday. The laboratory at the Environmental
Quality Institute (EQI) tests for ammonia, nitrates, phosphates,
turbidity, total solids, conductivity, alkalinity, pH, copper,
lead and zinc and dissolved oxygen saturation, a function of
temperature and altitude. The cost of theses chemical analyses is $450 per
site per year. Site sponsorship is available and HRWC is
currently seeking funding to continue this program in 2012 and
beyond. Contact the
Executive Director for more information. |
Currently
there are two teams: One group samples 10 sites on streams in the Lake
Chautge watershed; the second samples 10 sites in the Lake Nottely
watershed. [Current streams and volunteers are listed on the
Chatuge and
Nottely team pages respectively.]
Click here for a list
of all past and present
Ani'ama'
volunteers.
The results
of the testing are sent via e-mail to the Coalition office
and an annual report is published. We have a
very dedicated group of volunteers who have been diligent in performing
their testing and sampling! Click here to download a copy (PDF) of
our most recent comprehensive report:
Long Term Analysis of Water
Quality Trends in the Hiwassee and Nottely River Watersheds: Year Seven
Click
here to contact the Coalition office if you are interested in water quality
monitoring in your area.
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