RCA performs different main types of monitoring in the Rivanna River Watershed with the help of volunteer monitors. These include:
- Biologic (Benthic Macroinvertebrate) Monitoring
- Bacteria Monitoring
- Chemical Monitoring (data collected as needed)
- Regular Inspections by the River Stewards
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has certified both RCA’s benthic and bacteria monitoring programs at Level III, the highest level attainable in Virginia. Level III approval means that RCA’s collected data are equivalent in quality to those collected by the agency itself and can be used to support many essential water quality tracking and decision-making functions.
Between the benthic and bacteria monitoring programs, RCA regularly monitors more than 70 sites, collecting around 500 samples annually, covering hundreds of miles within the watershed. This comprehensive stream monitoring is an essential component of successful stewardship of the watershed. Because most government agencies lack sufficient fiscal and staff resources to monitor a watershed’s full complement of streams and tributaries, water program professionals are increasingly turning to nonprofit and volunteer monitors to help fill critical data gaps. RCA is happy to play this role within the Rivanna Watershed.