How to Monitor

Monitoring river health

Rivers have a life cycle much like a living organism. They are born from meltwater and they grow physically larger with each tributary stream that joins their flow. They mature as they pass through different landscapes and add chemical "memories" from each place they visit. They finish their life journey at the oceans and give rise to another generation of rivers through the water cycle.

Changes in the life and health of a river affect the organisms that live there. Some of these changes occur naturally; some of them are influenced by people. Rivers can be healthy or unhealthy at any stage of their life.

At some point in the life of a river, they eventually pass through our communities. We can visit briefly before seeing them off again on their journey to the ocean. These visits provide us with the opportunity to ask, "How are you doing?"

Learning how to monitor river health is a first step in caring for our rivers.