KDHE Assists Watershed Quality Improvement
Through World Water Monitoring Day

During the next several weeks, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) will be working with local watershed groups, citizens and other interested environmental organizations and businesses, to monitor and improve the state's watersheds quality as part of the second World Water Monitoring Day October 18.

KDHE's long-standing commitment to improving and protecting the state's water ecosystem is attracting citizen participation to this global exercise. Experienced and first time monitors, including dignitaries, students and senior citizens are getting involved across the state, according to Jamie Gaggero, KDHE environmental. Gaggero says staff from KDHE will be participating at various sites across the state .

Last year the America's Clean Water Foundation recognized Kansas as the most improved state in citizen participation. Kansas went from having five registered sites in 2002 to 144 registered sites in 2003. KDHE and local organizers have set a goal of 250 registered sites for 2004.

" People throughout the world depend on clean, fresh water as their source of life. No matter who you are or where you live, clean, pure water is essential for drinking, hygiene, agriculture, commerce and recreation," says Roberta (Robbi) Savage, President of America's Clean Water Foundation.

America's Clean Water Foundation and the International Water Association, together with global and local partners, including KDHE, are coordinating World Water Monitoring Day.

"In creating World Water Monitoring Day, we wanted to provide an opportunity for people of all ages, backgrounds, creeds, faiths, cultures and ethnicity to come together [across Kansas] as a global network of individuals who are willing to invest their time and energy in the pursuit of clean water," said Savage.

One focus of World Water Monitoring Day is educating participants about water monitoring and testing. Volunteers will be asked to perform and submit data from four key tests: dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity/clarity and temperature. More experienced monitors may also complete more technical analyses such as macro Invertebrate counts (bugs), nitrogen content, phosphorus, and the speed of the water flow. Data collected by all participating monitors in Kansas, and globally, can be viewed at http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.

Monitors will enter data into a global database that stores all information collected during the monitoring period from September 18 through October 18. Kansans within the global community can experience water monitoring first hand and evaluate conditions within their local watersheds viewing the collected on the World Water Monitoring Day Web site.

For more information or to set up a local monitoring site, please contact Jaime Gaggero, 785-296-5579, or e-mail: jgaggero@kdhe.state.ks.us or visit the World Water Monitoring Day website at www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.

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