We’d like to highlight Ishana K. from our Volunteer Monitoring program as the volunteer of the month! Ishana has been working hard monitoring sections of Four Mile and McAlpine Creek while doing a comparison study on the effects of urbanization on surface water quality. She has submitted her paper to be considered for The Journal of Emerging Investigators! Ishana is a student at Providence High School and hopes to study biomedical engineering or biotechnology when she goes to college next year. Great job, Ishana, we see big things for you in the future!

You can help us monitor the health of a local stream! There are approximately 3,000 miles of streams and more than 100,000 storm drains in Mecklenburg County. We have an extensive surface water quality monitoring program, but we need your help monitoring this vast network of streams and storm drains! Streamside Assessment and Chemical Monitoring allows you to test streams in your neighborhood for pH, Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen, and Temperature in addition to doing visual assessments for pollution indicators over time. If you or a student you know are interested in monitoring streams email us at STW-Volunteers@MeckNC.gov !

Many of us are out enjoying our lakes around the county and it’s important to know that the waters are safe for contact. Orange water could indicate excess sediment, gray water could indicate sewage contamination, and green water could indicate a harmful algal bloom. If you come across any discolored water, please report it to 311. Always remember to wait 72 hours after a rain event to engage in water recreation in our coves. If you would like to be notified of any swim advisories in our area, text MECKNOSWIM to 888-777 to get them sent straight to your phone. We will also be posting updates all summer long on our social media pages (@StormWaterCM).