Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association 2002 Aquatic Benthic Macroinvertebrate Sampling Project Project Collaborators: Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association

Background: Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association (WPWA) has been involved with volunteer water quality monitoring since its inception in the mid 1980’s. Most of the monitoring sites have been on ponds, lakes, and impounded areas of rivers. In 1998, WPWA collaborated with Elizabeth Heron at the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension Watershed Watch to begin water quality monitoring of low order streams in the Pawcatuck Watershed using volunteers. In 1999 WPWA received a grant from the Partners for Resource Protection to expand the Stream Monitoring program, which continues today. The parameters measured for water quality indications are dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, nutrients, bacteria, and flow volume, all of which are abiotic indicators. It is commonly held that comprehensive measurements of stream quality should also include biotic components of the habitat. Introduction: The highest concentration and greatest diversity of macroinvertebrates live in riffle areas of streams and rivers. Some macroinvertebrate orders and families live two years or longer. Each family has a different tolerance level to pollution and low aerobic conditions. An indication of water quality can be made by looking at the make up of the stream community, particularly the presence or absence of low tolerance families and orders