Why Monitor?

Monitoring is a first step in taking care of rivers

The health of our rivers is affected by the sheer combined impact of so many of us. Just look at everyone who uses rivers - anglers, boaters, dams, industries, agriculture, towns and cities.

RiverWatch is about using chemical and biological monitoring as a first step in taking care of rivers.

How can people help care for rivers?

The First Step
The first step in taking care of rivers is to become more aware. "Is your river healthy?" How would you know the answer to this question? RiverWatch students help by collecting science data from their local river.

Top of page

Good Science
RiverWatch is real science and students do careful research. They return to school and examine the data for patterns or changes in river health. Their findings are presented in a "State of the River Report".

Top of page

Long Term Study
The science data collected by RiverWatch is important. Each day of observations is added to a database, and the data collected by many students over many years helps identify trends and changes in river health. Each new class of students contributes to a growing understanding of Alberta Rivers.

Top of page

Personal Action

Last but not least, RiverWatch students pitch-in and help rivers through a commitment to positive, personal environmental action. They change the way that they, their family and their community use and enjoy Alberta Rivers!

"Anything else you're interested in is not going to happen if you can't breathe the air and drink the water. Don't sit this one out. Do something. You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of our planet."

--Carl Sagan

Top of page