Complementary Monitoring Programs

Depending on the goals, capacity, and current state of your program, you’ll want to collect specific types of data. The Swim Drink Fish toolkit is specifically designed to carry out recreational water quality monitoring. However, there is ample opportunity to add different monitoring parameters to your program based on what you wish to monitor in your watershed. Below are some tools from across the community-based water monitoring network that you can explore

If you’re interested in….

Answering the question: ‘Is the water Clean enough for recreation?’

You’re in the right place. Swim Drink Fish has developed a holistic protocol for monitoring your local water for recreational purposes. Explore tools and training for recreational water monitoring HERE [INSERT LINK]

Baseline water quality data

Baseline water quality helps us understand how a body of water’s health may change over time. Collecting baseline water quality information can help us understand if our local waters are at risk of or are degraded. This information can help us make educated decisions on how to support the health of our waters. Types of baseline water quality data may include:

  • pH

  • Alkalinity

  • Conductivity

  • Turbidity

  • Hardness

  • Dissolved Oxygen

  • and many more!

To learn how to collect this baseline water quality data, we recommend visiting our friends at the Water Rangers, who have developed tools and training techniques for affordable and easy-to-use baseline water monitoring tools.

Wildlife Observations

Insert link to iNaturalist

Is something you’re interested in that’s not here?

We can help you find the tools you need! OR if you’re a group that has developed a community-science friendly monitoring tool, we would love to share it here. Get in touch with us! Some groups we love that are developing their own tools include:

Monitoring Algae on your shoreline or Beach Aesthetics

Insert links to NCCC VAST

Microplastics, litter and debris

Insert links to other groups doing this (e.g. Public Lab, Baby legs, Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup)