Learn water-quality sampling techniques at the Maine Healthy Beaches training on Thursday, May 25.
Members of the public are invited to be part of a citizen-scientist project that helps beachgoers feel comfortable about the quality of water at three swimming areas on the Pemaquid Peninsula: Biscay Beach, the swimming hole above the dam in Bristol Mills, and Pemaquid Beach. This water-quality sample training will take place on Thursday, May 25, from 10:00 a.m. to noon at Pemaquid Beach Park, rain or shine. No experience is necessary, but training is required in order to become a tester. This water-quality monitoring project is a partnership between Pemaquid Watershed Association and the Maine Healthy Beaches program. Preregistration is required by contacting PWA at 563-2196 or carolyn@pemaquidwatershed.org by Monday, May 22.
At this free training, Keri Kaczor, the Maine Healthy Beaches specialist, will teach participants how to collect water samples and other environmental data such as salinity, water and air temperature, and field observations. Kaczor is a member of the Marine Extension Team, a collaboration of Maine Sea Grant and UMaine Cooperative Extension, providing educational and applied research programs in coastal community development, ecosystem health, fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism.
The water-quality sampling procedures are simple to learn and the handheld equipment is easy to use. Training will require participants to wade about three feet into the water to learn the sampling process. Participants should be prepared for the possibility of getting wet and are encouraged to bring waders; however, the trainer will have extra waders to borrow. Those who complete the training will then be qualified to sign up for dates to conduct water-quality monitoring this summer. Sampling is scheduled on Tuesday mornings from June to Labor Day and takes about an hour.
For more information on PWA, call 563-2196 or go to pemaquidwatershed.org.
