River Voices: August 2018

Welcome to the August 2018 edition of River Voices. Learn about the future of citizen science, water monitoring, and water data. Celebrate the latest Wild and Scenic River designated earlier this month. And don’t forget to check out the River Rally 2019 workshop proposal guidelines! Plus, find funding, search jobs, and share the Water Protectors Map with your community.

The Future of Water Quality Data

World Water Monitoring Day (now known as EarthEcho Water Challenge) is coming up on September 18th and droves of citizen scientists across the globe will head out to local waters to gain a snapshot of their water quality. You may be one of the thousands of staff, volunteers, students, or researchers across the country who participate in World Water Monitoring Day or regularly monitor local streams, rivers, lakes, docks, or beaches. The citizen science community plays a critical role in measuring and conveying water-health data to the public and agency administrators, but making that data available has its challenges. New technologies exist to help overcome those challenges. Here’s what we see in the future of water quality data.

Meet Our Team

Meet Adam Griggs, River Network’s Science Manager. Adam helps River Network’s members build their scientific and technical capacity to be effective advocates, stewards, and managers of flowing freshwater everywhere. Read more about Adam’s work.

Call for Workshops!

RN-RiverRallyFacebookGraphic2019-Landscape-final

Do you have a proven approach or innovation that could help achieve healthy rivers and engage communities in solving water problems? The call for workshop proposals is now open for River Rally 2019 (June 21-24, Cleveland, OH). Read the guidelines and submit a workshop proposal here.

A Wild Success

On August 2nd, Montana won its first Wild and Scenic Rivers designation since 1976. The key to success? Addressing community concerns at the kitchen table. Learn what it took to gain public buy-in—and how to build support to protect your river.

Advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. As advocates, we need to meet people where they are, which is often not where we are in regards to understanding federal protections and environmental policy.

–Mike Fiebig, American Rivers, on the East Rosebud Wild & Scenic Win

Member News & Tips

An overhead view of the Coosa River on a clear day. The water appears brown and blue, with trees and logs poking through the surface, and big swaths of trees along the banks.

Coosa River Win

A federal court has unanimously ruled in favor of conservation groups by tossing a harmful license issued to Alabama Power for operation of seven hydroelectric dams on the Coosa River, addressing the longstanding problems the dams have caused for the river for the first time in decades. Read more.

Build Better Partnerships

In this session, the Lower Hudson Urban Waters Collaborative shares how their partnership with four organizations helped them coordinate multiple citizen science water quality monitoring programs, data collection protocols, and data storage methods for greater advocacy outcomes. Watch the video.

The Fundraising Plan

In this webinar excerpt, River Network staff explain the basic elements of a fundraising plan and why you should have one. This webinar short was taken from our premium webinar series for River Network paid members: Leadership Development Institute – Fundraising Essentials. Watch the video.

Join Now: Working With Water Utilities Group

Interested in building relationships with wastewater treatment utilities? River Network is looking for a few volunteers for a working group with us and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. The group will help identify specific opportunities for river groups and utilities to work together. Contact Katherine Baer at kbaer@rivernetwork.org by 9/1 if interested.

Share or Embed the Water Protectors Map

Visit the map. Is your group not yet on the map? Submit an application for free membership today.

Did you know that you can share or embed our Water Protectors Map into your communications or website? Grow support for water work in your community with this map! Whether you’re part of one of the 6,000+ water organizations on the map or a concerned citizen, you can help your community get involved.

Here’s how:

In the toolbar on the left-hand side panel, select the more tools drop-down (far right).

Select “Share” from the drop-down.
Copy the link code to share the map on social media or in communications.

– OR –

Copy the embed code to embed the map on your website.
Paste the code into a standard html iframe within a new page on your website.

Upcoming Webinars & Events

Parks with Purpose

September 6, 1:00–2:00 pm EST. Join the Parks with Purpose program, The Conservation Fund, and partner organizations to learn about green infrastructure. If you are an urban waters practitioner working at the intersection of stormwater management and community engagement, this webinar is for you. Free. Register here.

Water Trails 101

September 11, 2:00-3:00 pm EST. Join the National Water Trails Learning Network to explore phases of water trail development, discuss challenges and successes, and see a case study of a successful national water trail. The webinar will provide tools and water trail best management practices. Free. Sign up.

Cool Fixes for Hot Cities

September 12, 2:00-3:30pm EST. EPA’s Cool Fixes for Hot Cities webcast series will cover Los Angeles’ Cool Streets pilot project and other heat island reduction measures. The innovative pilot is in progress on 15 blocks throughout the city and is already generating benefits. Free. Register.

Communicating the State of Your River

September 18, 2:00–3:15 pm EST. This webinar will present two different approaches to clearly communicate the state of your river and basin with various stakeholders including recreational users: basin report cards and the Swim Guide. Free. Register here.

River Network 30th Anniversary: Anonymous Donor Doubles Donations

In honor of River Network’s 30th Anniversary, gifts up to $10,000 will be matched by a generous supporter. All donations, of any amount, help us expand the network and grow the tools, training, and resources we provide to our members. If you or someone you know would like to contribute toward the 30th Anniversary match, please donate here.

Planning a Restoration Project? Get Funded

Are you planning, designing, or implementing on-the-ground restoration projects that will restore river flows and/or recharge ground water? Would you like the opportunity to share your projects with businesses who may be interested in providing support for your projects? If the answer is “Yes!” be sure to check out the Business for Water Stewardship Project Bank, a new opportunity for paid members of River Network to use a national platform to attract funding.