Adopt-A-Stream Program

The Adopt-A-Stream Program is a citizen's volunteer stream monitoring program that assesses the health of local waterways through chemical, physical, and biological monitoring, and through visual and watershed assessments. Volunteers are trained and certified to monitor their local streams for both chemical and biological parameters, including pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and macro-invertebrate surveys.

The Georgia Adopt-a-Stream program is a citizen water monitoring program that provides valuable information in helping to protect our waterways. No science degree is required! Local coordinators provide training in the different types of monitoring to help volunteers collect the most accurate data. Once you have taken a training workshop and passed your evaluation, you collect data on your own at your local stream and submit that data online. Fulton County Public Works maintains a collection of kits and supplies to loan to volunteers. Volunteers can assist with:

• Chemical monitoring – on a monthly basis, volunteers collect data on air and water temperatures, pH levels, and dissolved oxygen in the stream.
• Bacterial monitoring – on a monthly basis, volunteers collect and incubate samples to monitor E. coli levels in the stream.
• Biological monitoring – on a quarterly basis, volunteers collect samples of macroinvertebrates (stream dwelling bugs: insects, crustaceans, worms, and mollusks). The “bugs” are separated, identified, and counted by volunteers. The number and diversity of macroinvertebrates is an important indicator of stream health.

To learn more about this program or to get involved, call us at 404-612-8745.