Join us for a special day of water quality data collection!
Thursday, September 26, 2024 - 8:00am - 4:00pm
Event Location
There are 7 collection hubs (listed in the event details)
Advance Registration Required
No
Event Details
Attention outdoor enthusiasts and volunteer scientists! We need your help to get as many water samples from the Chesapeake Bay as possible on Thursday, September 26th.
There will be two high-resolution satellites, Landsat-9 and Sentinel-2a, gracing the skies above the Chesapeake Bay. We can use your water samples to improve the water quality monitoring algorithms for not one but two satellites.
Here's how you can participate:
Collect a water sample from the Bay or from any tidal river that flows into the Bay
Fill out a quick data sheet
Drop off your sample at a nearby collection hub
Your small act can make a big impact in monitoring our coastal ecosystems. Don't miss out on the fun!
Time
The drop-off window varies by collection hub, so be sure to check where you would like to drop off your sample.
Samples must be dropped off at the collection hubs by the end time indicated to ensure we have enough time to transport and process the samples.
What You'll Need
An empty plastic water bottle
A smartphone/device to record GPS coordinates
Event data sheet (or piece of paper to record data)
A rubber band (or something similar) to attach datasheet to sample bottle
Collection Hubs
*Check Collection Hub Details Before Dropping Off Your Sample *
Please note: Marshy Point Nature Center is a self-testing location. Volunteers bringing samples to that location will need to use the on-site machines to run their own analysis and send their data to Ray at TerracinaR@si.edu
Enter the classroom on the left, walk to the back corner with cabinets to find the CWW machines and protocol binder. Follow step by step instructions to test your sample. Send a photo of completed data sheet to Ray at TerracinaR@si.edu or upload results directly into Fieldscope.
Your safety is our #1 priority. If weather does not permit for collection, that’s okay! We will have more events and ways to get involved in the future.
Be sure to write clearly on your data sheet! We need to be able to match up the water sample to the data on your datasheet. Without both, we won’t be able to use your sample!
Try to take a water sample as far from the shore as possible. If it’s too close to shore, wave action may contaminate the sample and not give us an accurate representation of the overall body of water.
Transport your water sample in a cooler or thick bag. Some of the measurements we get from water samples can be affected by heat and light.
