Opportunities From: Calvert Stewards

Volunteers are needed to collect water samples from three locations in the Battle Creek watershed for nitrogen analysis.

We will meet at the Nature Center parking lot at 10 am and walk to two of the three sites. We will drive to the third site off of German Chapel Road.

SKILLS: Ability to scramble along roadsides and streams to access water.

Wear waterproof shoes or boots. 

TRAINING: Will be provided at the site.

PURPOSE: Calvert Stewards will be assisting with the ACLT  water quality blitz. For those who are unfamiliar, the blitz entails sending pairs of volunteers out across the watershed to collect water samples in order to give us a snapshot of groundwater nitrogen levels in feeder streams across the Parkers Creek, Governors Run and Battle Creek watersheds.

The samples are brought back to the ACLT office where Walter and others will process them and before being sent to the Chesapeake Biological Lab for analysis.

We conduct this sampling in early April because it is before all the plants begin to use extra nitrogen to leaf out, and because it is when the leaves from the previous season have had the longest time to decompose and are no longer contributing much nitrogen to the streams. Therefore, a reading during this time and when there has not been rain within a few days prior gives a good reading of the baseline nitrogen in the streams.

Calvert County Parks & Recreation Natural Resources Division and Calvert Nature Society are partnering with the Izaak Walton League to monitor and reduce the impact of road salt on our streams and rivers. Road salt, while essential for winter road safety, can have detrimental effects on water quality, aquatic life, and the environment. Calvert Stewards will play a crucial role in collecting data that helps us understand these impacts.

You will document and report chloride levels in local streams. Your efforts will contribute to a national database that informs community leaders and policymakers about the environmental consequences of road salt.

As a Salt Watch Volunteer, you will contribute to important research efforts aimed at documenting water quality in our local stream. You will gain hands-on experience in water quality monitoring and data collection, engage with a network of like-minded individuals, and raise awareness in your community about the environmental impact of road salt.

Qualifications

Volunteers must first attend a training or field session to learn the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively monitor and report chloride levels.
Register for the training sessions: https://calvertstewards.galaxydigital.com/need/detail/?need_id=961266 

Responsibilities Collect water samples from designated locations at least once per month. See Schedule below.Use provided test strips to measure chloride levels in the water samples. Record and submit your findings directly to Camryn.Adhere to safety guidelines when accessing streams while sampling and testing to ensure your well-being and the accuracy of data.

We recommend volunteers wear long sleeves and pants, bright clothing, and shoes or boots that are fine with getting wet and dirty.

Time Commitment

Approximately one hour/month.

Schedule

Volunteers can monitor on their own schedule, with a minimum of once monthly during the first week at their assigned streams.

In Winter (November-March), in addition to the first week sampling, if possible, monitor before a winter storm, to find out the "normal" level of salt in your stream; then after salt has been applied to roads, then after the first warm day or rainstorm following a snow or freeze, and then after the next rain event.

Requirements A strong interest in environmental conservation and water quality.Ability to commit a few hours each month for water sampling and testing.Reliable and punctual in conducting sampling and submitting data.Willingness to complete a brief training session on sampling techniques and data submission. Work Conditions Exposure to poison ivy, ticks, mosquitoes, snakes, spiders and other wildlife.Parking and walking along shoulders of public roadsEntering streams and creeks to collect water samples. Banks may be muddy and slippery.Izaak Walton League Salt Watch Resources Online Overview Videos:Introduction to Salt Watch How to Take a Salt Watch Sample (first 4 minutes of video) Most volunteers will not directly submit data to IWL, but send data sheets to Camryn who will enter the data. Online Reference Materials: https://www.iwla.org/water/stream-monitoring/salt-watch/salt-watch-faq

Scheduling & Reporting Hours: Depending on the specific project surveys may be done at any site the volunteer chooses (BBA, GBBC) or in specific assign regions (CBC).  Volunteers may report their hours through this opportunity and mention the project and location in the notes.   

Examples of Bird Surveys include:

Christmas Bird Counts (CBC): Each winter, volunteers from all over the U.S. conduct bird counts for the National Audubon Society. Now more than 100 years running, the Count provides important data on the long term trends of bird populations in our area.  Calvert County participates in 2 of these Counts. The Jug Bay circle encompasses the northern third of the County and the Patuxent River Count extends into the southern third. Count dates usually occur the third Sunday of December and the Sunday following Christmas respectively. More info on CBC here Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC): An annual project run by Cornell Lab or Ornithology that happens every February. Participants just need to spend 15 minutes counting the number of birds seen at their feeder or in their yard on one of the given days and submit through eBird. More info on GBBC here Breeding Bird Atlas (BBA): A four-year survey of the breeding birds of Maryland and Washington, DC.  Birders are assigned very specific areas to search for all nesting species. Nesting behavior such as bringing material or food to a possible nest, or observing fledglings ready to fly, must be observed and recorded.  The MD DC BBA has been conducted on 1983-1987, 2002-2006 and 2020-2024.  The next MD DC BBA would be likely around 2040.

Contact Gene Groshon at gene.groshon@calvertcountymd.gov for additional information or to participate. 

SCHEDULE: at the monitor's discretion, and is an ongoing yearly project. Time per visit expected to be 3 hours. 

VOLUNTEER DUTIES
Volunteers will meet at designated locations and complete duties. Tasks include:

Weekly nest monitoring beginning in March through September. Duties Include: Completing provided training on nest box monitoring protocol Driving around the county to different box locations Identifying species nesting in box Counting eggs, hatchlings, fledglings and adults Recording data on a standard data collection form Submitting data to Program Manager at the end of the season Promoting the project and the importance of Eastern Bluebirds to others Building new nest boxes Cleaning and repairing older nest boxes Helping to install boxes at approved locations around the county

SKILLS & ABILITIES: Some walking involved.

TRAINING: New volunteers will meet with the Program Manager or attend a scheduled training.

REQUIREMENTS & EXPECTATIONS
Volunteers may need to:

Hike across wetlands, ponds, creeks and uneven and overgrown terrain to get to box locations Be exposed to ticks, chiggers, mosquitoes, bees/wasps, poison ivy, bad weather, and other wildlife

PROJECT DATES Specific dates for each season will be selected by the program leaders based on weather patterns and regional activities of wood ducks. Updates will be emailed to volunteers who have responded to this opportunity.

For Further Information Contact: Karyn Molines, 410-535-5327 Karyn.Molines@calvertcountymd.gov