The Downstream Project has launched our online tool called WaterWatch. The app makes it easier than ever for people to check the health of the Shenandoah River before heading out to paddle, fish, or swim.
Developed in partnership with Friends of the Shenandoah River, WaterWatch brings FOSR’s long-running water monitoring program to life with clear, easy-to-read maps and graphs. Residents can now see summer E. coli testing results from the main stem and forks of the Shenandoah, along with a few select tributaries, as soon as the tests are completed and posted. WaterWatch works only because of the dedication of local monitoring programs such as FOSR’s.
“Watershed groups like Friends of the Shenandoah River have done tremendous work collecting water quality data for years,” said Bill Howard, executive director of The Downstream Project. “Our role is to make sure those numbers don’t just sit on a shelf or go into a dark hole. WaterWatch gives everyone with an internet connection the chance to understand what’s happening in their local streams.”
Each monitoring site in WaterWatch has its own unique web link. Those links can also be shared as QR codes, which are available through the Friends of the Shenandoah River website. River users can either bookmark the web link for their favorite access point, or print and save the QR code so it can be scanned quickly before a trip. This feature makes it easier to check the latest conditions on the go.
The WaterWatch system is designed to be simple for watershed groups to use while giving the public timely, reliable information. Within minutes of test results being entered into the system, the data is posted online with clear graphics showing whether bacteria levels were above or below the EPA’s recommended threshold of 235 CFU per 100mL of water sample for primary contact recreation.
Learn more about WaterWatch at TheDownstreamProject.org/services/water-watch/. See WaterWatch in action at FOSR.org.
