MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. — Along the Gulf Coast, some residents are doing more than enjoying the water around them. They are helping study it.
Through the Alabama Water Watch program, volunteers are trained to monitor water quality and collect data about the health of their local waterways. The effort spans waterways across Mobile and Baldwin counties, including Dog River, Fowl River and Magnolia River, with research and education also taking place through the Weeks Bay Research Reserve.
Starting at square one
“That’s one of the great things about the Alabama Water Watch program — you don’t have to be a scientist. You don’t have to have scientific training to be a volunteer water quality monitor. Really, all of the training starts you off at square one,” said Blair Morrison, lead monitoring scientist for the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program.
The volunteers watch for patterns over time. “Well, we look for trends. Look for anything that’s out of normal. And if we find something that’s out of normal, we report it in to either the Department of Health or Environmental Quality,” said Ted Henken, a water quality monitor volunteer at the Fowl River.
Data that drives action
The goal is more than simply collecting numbers. Volunteer monitoring groups have used their data to identify problems, work with local and state agencies, and advocate for stronger protections for waterways.
“It’s important to have residents collecting the data themselves because, again, they’re folks that live here along these water bodies. They’re the first ones who would notice if something is off. And they’re the people that interact with these resources on a daily basis,” Morrison said.
For those doing the work, the connection goes beyond science. “I think I’m making a difference because I can feel comfortable that my grandchildren can swim in the river and it not be unsafe for them. And that was probably the most important point to me,” Henken said.
The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program helps provide the resources and training residents need to take part. “We support, providing all of the supplies and the kits, for over 100 coastal volunteer water quality monitors throughout Mobile and Baldwin County, and I believe our latest numbers is that this past quarter, they submitted a cumulative number of over 500 data records just in the last three months,” Morrison said.
Protecting the Gulf Coast does not always start in a laboratory or a government office. Sometimes it starts with a resident, a water sample and a willingness to get involved.